Files pertaining to Angel Viñas' work as Director for Multilateral Relations (Directorate A) within DG1 A (External Relations). Directorate A had two main responsiblities: (1) taking care of certain specific policy areas such as human rights and democratistation and security. For security policy it was the only point of contact in the entire Commission. Its work included relationships with the WEU, NATO and OSCE and their subsidiary or related organisation. In the area of human rights policy, it co-ordinated Commission policies and implemented several budget lines of Chapter 7-70. In these areas, it interacted with other Directorates such as DG1, DG1b, DG5 and DG8. (2) It represented DG1A and/or the CFSP angle in relation to other international organisations (UN, Council of Europe and Organisations established under the Law of the Sea Convention) and regional initiatives of a political character. In the case of the Council of Europe, Directorate A was also the only point of contact in the entire Commission.
The overall preoccupation of Directorate A was to enhance the Commission's role and visibility in multilateral relations and in international organisations, inter alia by ensuring the consistency between first pillar activities and second pillar concerns, by presenting the policies and programmes of the EU implemented by the Commission, and by highlighting the added value the latter could bring to the activities of each organisation.