Brief History
Establishment
As a result of the need arising after workforce migration, which started in the early 60s, from Turkey to industrialized European countries, in order to protect the rights and interests of our citizens and to take steps to solve their problems by the relevant institutions, the Department for Missions Abroad of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security was established on 08 May 1967.
Shortly after our services abroad started to be rendered to our citizens residing in foreign countries, "the DG for Workers' Problems Abroad" was established as one of the main service units of the Ministry of Labour on 06 April 1972.
The name of the DG was changed as "the DG for Services for Workers Abroad" on 13 December 1983 and to "the DG of Foreign Relations and Services for Workers Abroad" on 24 July 2003. The DG for Foreign Relations and Services for Workers Abroad, which was restructured on this date, carries out its activities on two main axes: 'services for citizens abroad' and 'foreign relations'.
With the "Presidential Decree No. 1 on the Presidential Organization" published on 10 July 2018, the name of the Directorate General was changed as "the DG for Services for Workers Abroad" and then as "the DG of Foreign Relations" with the "Presidential Decree No. 27" dated 10 January 2019.
With the Presidential Decree dated 29 November 2023 and numbered 32384, our Directorate General was merged with the Department of European Union and Financial Assistance and renamed as the Directorate General of Foreign Affairs and European Union. The Directorate General carries out its activities through four main axes, namely; 'Central Organisation Services', 'Foreign Relations', 'Citizen Services Abroad' and 'Management of European Union Programmes and Other International Fund Sources'.
Central Organisation Services
The Directorate General carries out the duties of deciding to conclude or amend all kinds of agreements, contracts, protocols, etc. with foreign country authorities and international organisations on issues falling within the field of duty of our Ministry; drafting and signing final texts; conducting negotiations and also ensuring coordination between the Ministry's Central Organisation, affiliated and related institutions on these issues.
In addition to ensuring coordination among the units of the Ministry with regard to the execution of the Ministry's foreign relations, the Directorate General also carries out international promotion and information activities related to the field of duty of the Ministry, as well as protocol-related works and procedures.
Foreign Relations
The Directorate General carries out activities related to international organisations, particularly the United Nations (UN), International Labour Organisation (ILO), Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Council of Europe, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), European Union and G20.
In addition, the Directorate General ensures the conclusion of bilateral social security and labour agreements in order to protect the rights and interests of our citizens and perpetuates close relations with equivalent Ministries of foreign countries through inter-ministerial cooperation agreements.
Services for Citizens Abroad
Approximately eight million of our citizens live abroad, mostly in Western European countries. In addition, there are approximately three million of our citizens who have returned to Türkiye after working abroad for a while, but who still have both legal and family connections with these countries due to their past work.
The Directorate General utilizes every means to protect and promote the rights of our citizens and their family members who work abroad or whose connections with abroad continue, arising from labour and social security legislation. For this purpose, in 29 countries where Turkish citizens reside, Turkish citizens are served by a total of 57 units. 30 of these units are Labour and Social Security Counsellor’s Offices within our Embassies and 27 of them are Labour and Social Security Attaché’s Offices within the offices of Consulate Generals of Türkiye.
Management of European Union Programmes and Other International Funding Sources
The Directorate General is responsible for promoting the preparation processes of the projects related to employment, education and social policies supported within the scope of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) funds developed within the scope of financial cooperation between our country and the European Union; carrying out the tender processes; contracting the tenders; implementing, managing, monitoring, auditing and carrying out technical and financial controls of the contracts (projects).
In addition to other programmes and funding sources financed by the European Union, the Directorate General continues to work on funding sources and cooperation opportunities provided by different international organisations and countries. In this context, partnership opportunities with national and international institutions and organisations are explored, cooperation mechanisms are developed, studies on possible projects are carried out, technical support is provided to national institutions and organisations applying for projects, trainings are provided. The Directorate General also participates in appropriate projects as a partner/stakeholder.
Outlook on Future
The most important objective of the Directorate General is to diversify the services offered to our citizens abroad, who are an integral part of our country in accordance with today’s requirements, to protect and promote the rights of our citizens arising from international law and the national legislation of home countries, and to enhance effectiveness of the Ministry in international arena as in every field by working with a great sense of responsibility and devotion as so was in the past.
In addition, another objective of the Directorate General is to make significant contributions to the studies to be carried out in all relevant fields, especially in the fields of employment, education and social policy, with a European Union perspective, taking into account our national priorities; and to make maximum efforts to continue national and international project studies in the light of the experiences gained in the field of European Union fund management.
Our Martyrs
Tecelli ARI | Erdoğan ÖZEN | Reşat MORALI |
Several valuable diplomats of Turkey were brutally murdered by Armenian terrorist organizations between 1973-1984. Three of our diplomats who served in the Department for Missions Abroad were martyred in these terrorist incidents, which is unique in the history of world diplomacy. As a result of the armed attack, Reşat MORALI, who served as an Deputy Counsellor at Paris Labour and Social Security Counsellor’s Office and Tecelli ARI, who served as Religious Official on 4 March 1981, and Erdoğan ÖZEN, who worked as Social Assistant at Vienna Labour and Social Security Counsellor’s Office, were martyred by blood-thirsty terrorists on 20 June 1984. However, it should be known that our personnel, who serve abroad at the cost of their lives to serve their country and nation, will not bow to any threats of terrorist organizations.