Kostis Pitsilloudis, Brussels Correspondent
Having recently assumed duties as Head of Unit of the European Union Visitors Programme (EUVP), Andreas Kettis leads a unique interinstitutional unit within the European Union. A programme that unites the forces of the European Parliament and the European Commission, with the primary goal of strengthening the EU’s global ties.
With a steady career in the European institutions and deep knowledge of public diplomacy mechanisms, and until recently Head of the European Parliament Office in Cyprus, he analyses at ‘’Politis’’ the role and significance of the Visitors Programme, as well as the place of smaller member states in shaping Europe’s political culture.
The EUVP operates within strict institutional accountability frameworks that ensure transparency in its functioning and the use of its resources. It is accountable to both the European Parliament and the European Commission, which jointly fund the Programme. The hierarchical responsibility within the Parliament lies with the Director General of the Parliamentary Partnerships DG Ms. Sanna Lepola, under the political supervision of the Parliament’s First Vice-President, Ms. Sabine Verheyen, while for the Commission it is the Director for the Foreign Policy Instruments Mr. Peter Wagner, with the High Representative and Vice President of the Commission, Ms. Kaja Kallas, leading the political dimension.
The diplomacy of values
“The main objective of the EU Visitors Programme is to contribute to the EU’s efforts to promote its public diplomacy around the world,” notes Mr. Kettis. The programme has a history of more than five decades, having been established in 1974, and since then it has served as a platform for dialogue and understanding between the EU and societies in third countries.
As Mr. Kettis explains, it contributes to strengthening parliamentary democracy, mainly outside the EU by offering knowledge, experience, and best practices that today’s visitors, who are tomorrow’s political and social leaders in their own countries, can adopt, inspired by the benefits of parliamentary democracy within the EU.
Participants in the Programme are young professionals aged 25–40, carefully selected through EU Delegations and European Parliament Offices in third countries and International Organizations.
“Whether they are politicians, journalists, human rights activists, academics, members of NGOs, or leaders of civil society, all have a potentially strong leadership profile,” he emphasizes. After returning to their countries, the programme’s alumni become “ambassadors” of European values within their local communities. “In other words, they transmit the knowledge they acquired during their visit to Brussels, while at the same time acting as friends and stakeholders of the EU,” he clarifies.
Asked what the visitors’ programme entails, Mr. Kettis explained that during their week-long stay in Brussels and, for those holding political office, in Strasbourg, participants meet with Members of the European Parliament, Commission officials, and experts from the EU institutions. He stressed that the aim of the Programme’s Secretariat is to convey to all visitors that the EU, above and beyond everything else, is a political project for peace and prosperity. “By the end of their experience, they have a clear picture of what the EU is, how it functions, and why it stands as a model of collective parliamentary democracy,” he highlights.
At the same time, the EU’s structure and functioning have served as a model for other international and regional organisations, with the Programme playing a key role in transferring expertise and policy approaches. Mr. Kettis cites as an example the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes 10 permanent members, noting that it has drawn many functional and operational elements from the EU.
Strategic priorities
Under his leadership, the Programme’s Unit aims to provide high-quality services to visitors throughout their participation, while also keeping them actively engaged after completing the programme through an alumni network. Through this approach, a special chain of relationships is created that continues beyond their participation. “The alumni are ambassadors of the EU’s principles and values,” stresses Mr. Kettis, underlining the importance of leveraging this “core of people” through EU Delegations and European Parliament Offices around the world.
Another strategic step for the Unit is a better categorisation of third countries and international organisations from which greater visitor participation is sought. Particular emphasis is given to the African continent, which the EU recognises as a vital partner. “It is a continent of strategic importance for our Union, and we aim to strengthen and further develop our relations through dialogue and understanding,” he says.
Regarding Cyprus’s neighbourhood, Mr. Kettis stresses that the EU places special importance on this region and its relations with countries such as Lebanon and Turkey.
Geopolitical challenges
In a period of international instability and intensifying geopolitical divisions, the Director-General for Parliamentary Democracy Partnerships at the European Parliament, Sanna Lepola, speaking to "Politis", emphasizes the invaluable role of the European Union Visitors Programme (EUVP) as a pillar of democracy and dialogue. “It is truly impossible to overstate the importance of the EUVP in these turbulent times, marked by global tension and growing polarization,” she notes, stressing that “communication and human connection build the strongest bridges, even over the most troubled waters.”
Ms. Lepola described the EUVP as "infallible tool", as it supports democracy worldwide while simultaneously advancing the European project. As she points out, beyond today’s challenges, “the world has changed profoundly since 1974, when the Programme was first launched. The European Union has changed.”
Within this new environment, the Director-General announces that Andreas Kettis will oversee an in-depth modernization of the EUVP, aiming to strengthen both its structure and its global reach. “In this endeavor, he can count on my full support,” she concludes.
“We leave our national passports outside the door”
As a Cypriot in a leadership role within the EU administration, Andreas Kettis avoids any national identification in his professional capacity. “All of us colleagues leave our national passports outside our office doors,” he remarks. “I am not here to serve the interests of my country or of any other EU member state. I serve the general European interest.”
As he explains, his work as a manager in the European Parliament’s Secretariat and now as head of this unique interinstitutional Unit, responsible for the Visitors Programme is to serve the common European interest, in line with the policy priorities of the European Parliament and the European Commission.
Nevertheless, the Cypriot official recognises the importance of citizens from smaller member states, such as his own, holding positions of responsibility in EU institutions. “It is more difficult for officials from small countries like Cyprus to rise to key positions within the institutions. Of course, when that happens, the honour and pride, by their very nature, reflect back on Cyprus,” he notes.
Concluding, the Head of the EUVP Unit expressed his belief that the Cypriot government should prioritize the promotion of employment of more Cypriots in the European institutions. “I believe that this can contribute meaningfully to shaping a broader European political culture on the island,” he adds.