About us

Find out more about the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.

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Ministers

The FPS is headed by two Ministers. They are responsible for Belgium's foreign policy.

Services and structure

The main administration of FPS Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation consists of six directorates-general and six staff directorates and directorates.

  • Services and structure

    The central board of the FPS Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation consists of six Directorates-General and six Staff Directorates and Directorates.

  • Directorate of Security (SV)

    The "Directorate of Security" (SV) reports directly to the (temporary) Chairman of the Executive Committee and is responsible for the security policy of the FPS, the objectives of which are the protection of 1) Belgian citizens abroad; 2) FPS personnel and infrastructure in Brussels and abroad; 3) the confidentiality of information. The Directorate is also an important interface with Belgian security actors (VSSE, Defence including ADIV, NCCN, CUTA, etc.) and coordinates the contribution of FPS within the National Security Council. It works in a coordinated manner and in close cooperation with all FPS directorates and services involved in the same missions.

  • Directorate General for Bilateral Affairs (DGB)

    The Directorate General for Bilateral Affairs (DGB) defends Belgian interests in and in respect of other countries.

  • Directorate-General for Consular Affairs (DGC)

    The Directorate-General for Consular Affairs (DGC) provides support and guidance to Belgium's consular sections abroad.

  • Directorate-General Coordination and European Affairs (DGE)

    The Directorate General for Coordination and European Affairs is responsible for the preparation, definition, representation, management and follow-up of Belgium's European policy.

  • Directorate General for Multilateral Affairs and Globalisation (DGM)

    The Directorate General for Multilateral Affairs and Globalisation (DGM) is responsible for promoting and defending Belgium's foreign policy with regard to multilateral issues and the CFSP.

  • Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DGD)

    The Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DGD) looks after the various aspects of Belgian Development Cooperation. DGD falls under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Development Cooperation.

  • Directorate General for Legal Affairs (DGJ)

    The Directorate General for Legal Affairs (DGJ) has a general advisory function in all areas of the law relating to the remit of the FPS Foreign Affairs.

  • Communication (COM) directorate

    The Communication (COM) directorate strives to propagate the image of our FPS, and by extension that of Belgium.

  • Protocol directorate (P)

    The Protocol manages the privileges and immunities of the international diplomatic community in Belgium, the official visits of prominent foreign dignitaries, the Egmont Palace and its conference centre, and the nobility titles and honorary distinctions.

  • Staff Directorate for Personnel and Organisation (P&O)

    The Staff Directorate for Personnel and Organisation's core task is to provide guidance and support on personnel and organisation within the framework of the FPS's management objectives.

  • Budget and Management Control Support Directorate (B&B)

    The FPS is committed to meeting its legal obligations on these invoices, such as timely payment. This promotes a good professional relationship with suppliers, which will not adversely affect their liquidity and financial management. It also avoids any late payment interest and damages.

  • Staff Directorate Information and communication technology (ICT)

    The ICT staff directorate is responsible for everything related to IT and telecommunications support for the core tasks of FPS Foreign Affairs.

Our commitments

The commitments of the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.

Mission and goals

Learn more about the mission and objectives of our FPS.

Annual reports

Consult the various annual reports of our FPS.

  • Annual reports

    Consult here all the annual of our Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.

Publications and multimedia

Find all publications and multimedia of our Federal Public Service here.

Belgian Art & Diplomacy

Find out more about Belgian Art & Diplomacy and its publications and exhibitions here.

  • Belgian Art & Diplomacy

    Art and diplomacy are not immediately connected in people’s minds. The world of diplomacy is one of consensus and compromise, of protocol rules and legislative frameworks, of smoothing things over and acting discreetly. Art and artists, on the other hand, have a rather rebellious or contrary image or are at least seen as critical and questioning. They do not shy away from challenging authority and do not care about labels. Yet one does not have to hold on to clichéd representations of both worlds. After all, wasn't Rubens also known for his diplomatic talents?

  • Publications and exhibitions

    Find on this page all publications and exhibitions supported by Belgian Art & Diplomacy.

Specific services

In addition to promoting Belgian interests in the world, which is a key aspect of Foreign Affairs’ core business, providing assistance to those in need of it is one of the main tasks of the FPS.

  • B-FAST

    Belgian First Aid and Support Team (B-FAST) is the Belgian government's rapid intervention structure that provides emergency assistance in the event of disasters abroad at its own request, provided there is no armed conflict, if the affected country is no longer able to organise proper assistance itself.

Egmont Institute

The Egmont Institute is an independent think-tank based in Brussels. Its interdisciplinary research is conducted in a spirit of total academic freedom.

Public procurement

Publicprocurement.be is the public procurement portal of the Public Procurement Service of the Federal Public Service for Policy and Support in cooperation with the Public Procurement Service of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister.

  • e-Procurement

    The federal e-Procurement service aims to digitise public procurement processes and transactions by means of Internet applications.

Photo of the façade of a building of the FPS Foreign Affairs

Contact

Find all the contact details of our FPS.

More information

Our FPS

FPS Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation
rue des Petits Carmes / Karmelietenstraat 15
1000 Brussels
Belgium

General phone number: +32 (0)2 501 81 11