Department for Europe

The Department for Europe handles issues related to the following countries:

Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, the Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.

The Department for Europe deals with:

• Political, trade political, economic, and development cooperation issues related to bilateral relations, the EU's external relations, and multilateral institutions in respect of the countries in question
• General EU matters, including development of the EU
• EU enlargement
• Peace process in Western Balkans, the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe, and regional cooperation in South-East Europe
• national coordination, guidance and advice related to Twinning and TAIEX (Technical Assistance and Information Exchange Instrument) activities, financed out of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) and the European Neighbourhood Policy Instrument (ENPI) and implemented in the candidate countries, ENPI countries and Russia
• Internal coordination of EU issues within the Ministry
• Responsibilities of the Secretariat for Nordic Cooperation, which include tasks identified in the standing orders of the Nordic Council of Ministers, and other issues concerning the planning and coordination of Nordic cooperation.