The Directorates-General
The Federal Foreign Office consists of 10 Directorates-General (DG) (see link to the organization chart on the right and the alphabetical list on the left).
Organization consultancy, personnel administration, basic and further training, training for international diplomats, budgetary and finance matters are among the main tasks of DG 1. Other vital support services are provided by the IT units, the Health Service, the Language Service, the Political Archives and the Library.
Read more: Central Directorate-General
The EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP), German involvement in military operations, NATO and the OSCE, relations with the USA, Canada and Russia, as well as Central, Eastern and South-East Europe, Turkey and the Council of Europe are some of DG 2's responsibilities.
Read more: Political Directorate-General 2
The formulation and shaping of the Federal Government's policy on Europe in coordination with the other Federal Ministries, the enlargement and deepening of the EU, the EU's external relations, as well as German bilateral relations with all EU member states, form part of DG E's broad spectrum of tasks.
Read more: European Directorate-General
Interdisciplinary tasks such as conflict prevention, peacekeeping, the fight against poverty, human rights protection, combating international terrorism and crime, as well as humanitarian aid abroad, are important elements of DG GF's work within the framework of, and in cooperation with, the United Nations.
Read more: Directorate-General for Global Issues, the United Nations, Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid
Assistance for Germans in need abroad, coordination of the consular work of German embassies and consulates-general, legal issues relating to the law on foreigners and asylum, international jurisdiction and international-law issues (for example on the Antarctic, the law of the sea, aerospace law) are only a few of DG 5's tasks.
Read more: Legal Directorate-General
The job of the Directorate-General for Culture and Communication is to plan, coordinate and steer German cultural relations and education policy, communication and media policy and public-relations activities in the political sphere.
Read more: Culture and Communication Directorate-General
Protocol (DG 7) in the Federal Foreign Office - it creates the right atmosphere and framework for political dialogue during visits to Germany by foreign dignitaries, visits abroad by the Federal President, the Federal Chancellor and the Federal Foreign Minister, and during international conferences and meetings.
Read more: Protocol Directorate-General
