About us

Founded in Zaragoza in 1986, the year Spain joined the European Communities, the Institute is a non-profit organisation devoted to advanced training in European affairs, as well as to public outreach and research.

The activities of the Real Instituto de Estudios Europeos have grown steadily and, on the eve of its 40th anniversary, now take place in several parts of Spain and abroad.

The Master's Programme in European Union (Zaragoza, with intensive sessions in Brussels, Frankfurt, Strasbourg, Luxembourg and Madrid) is joined by the European Academy of Jaca, the Albarracín Meeting on International and European Law, the Course on International and European Civil Service and Diplomacy, the Paris International Seminar, the Zermatt International Seminar, symposia, conferences and more.

At the same time, its many publications on European affairs in Spanish have made the Institute the world's leading body in this field.

Every year it publishes the work awarded the "Minister of Foreign Affairs Francisco Fernández Ordóñez Prize", by agreement of the Spanish Council of Ministers.

With complete independence, the Real Instituto de Estudios Europeos works to contribute to a reasonable, prudent and effective development of the European integration process, and to strengthen Spain's position and approach in the essential defence of its national interests. To this end, the Institute has often worked with political and technical decision-makers, developing ideas and strategies on a wide range of issues.

The Real Instituto de Estudios Europeos is chaired by Maximiliano Bernad y Álvarez de Eulate, Professor Emeritus of International Law and "Jean Monnet" Professor at the University of Zaragoza. Its Vice-Presidents are Miguel Ángel Navarro, Spanish Ambassador to Singapore; Juan Carlos Usero Millán, European consultant and Lecturer in International and European Community Law at the University of Zaragoza; and the diplomat Camilo Villarino Marzo, Counsellor at the Spanish Embassy in Rabat.

The Institute's Honorary Committee is made up of twenty-five Spanish and foreign figures and is chaired by King Felipe VI.

The Real Instituto de Estudios Europeos works with many public and private institutions, both Spanish and foreign.

Figures of the standing of King Juan Carlos I (in its Gold category), Felipe González, José María Aznar, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, José Manuel Durão Barroso, Javier Solana, René-Jean Dupuy and Antonio Tajani, as well as institutions such as The Hague Academy of International Law, have received the Institute's Medal at ceremonies held in Zaragoza, Madrid, Brussels, Paris and Nice.