Key Benefits:
Publics concerned: administrations, staff of the central administration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Subject: modification of the organization of the central administration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Entry into force: the text comes into force on March 1, 2013.
Notice: This decree amends the organization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to, on the one hand, establish the direction of companies and the international economy and, accordingly, reform the general direction of globalization, development and partnerships and, on the other, implement the reform of management jobs, following the publication of the Decree No. 2012-32 of 9 January 2012 employment of head of service and deputy head of state administrations.
References: the text amended by this decree can be consulted, in its drafting, on the website Légifrance (http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr).
The Prime Minister,
On the report of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of State Reform, Decentralization and Public Service,
Vu le Heritage Codeincluding articles L. 212-1 to L. 213-8;
Vu le Defence codeincluding articles R. 1143-1 to R. 1143-8;
Having regard to the decree of 14 February 1793 concerning the organization of the Ministry of the Navy;
Having regard to the decree of 25 December 1810 on the powers of the Minister of External Relations;
Vu le Decree No. 53-192 of 14 March 1953 amended on the ratification and publication of international commitments undertaken by France;
Vu le Decree No. 76-990 of 2 November 1976 establishing the responsibilities of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
Vu le Decree No. 79-433 of 1 June 1979 concerning the powers of ambassadors and the organization of State services abroad;
Vu le Decree No. 79-936 of 2 November 1979 relating to the general inspection of foreign affairs;
Vu le Decree No. 87-389 of 15 June 1987 modified for the organization of central administration services;
Having regard to the decision of 22 messidor an VII on the organization of relations between accredited foreigners and the authorities of the Republic;
Having regard to the decision of the 22 messidor an VII on the powers of Ministers for Foreign Affairs and the General Police in the monitoring of non-accredited aliens,
Considering the advice of the Departmental Technical Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of 5 December 2012;
Decrete:
The central administration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs includes:
I. ∙ The General Secretariat, headed by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
II. ∙ The protocol, the general inspection of foreign affairs, the analysis and prospective centre and the crisis centre, directly attached to the Minister.
III. – General Directorate of Political and Security Affairs, composed of:
– the leadership of the United Nations, international organizations, human rights and the Francophonie;
- the direction of strategic affairs, security and disarmament;
– the direction of security and defence cooperation.
It also includes, under the coordination of the Director General:
– the direction of continental Europe;
– the direction of Africa and the Indian Ocean;
– the direction of North Africa and the Middle East;
the direction of the Americas and the Caribbean;
– the direction of Asia and Oceania.
IV. ― The leadership of the European Union.
V. The overall direction of globalization, development and partnerships, consisting of:
– the direction of companies and the international economy;
– the direction of development and world public goods;
– the direction of cultural, academic and research cooperation;
– Program and Network Management.
VI. ― The General Directorate of Administration and Modernization, consisting of:
- Human resources management;
- the direction of financial affairs;
- the direction of information systems;
– the direction of buildings and logistics.
VII. – The direction of the French abroad and the consular administration, including:
– the service of French abroad;
– the service of conventions, civil affairs and mutual legal assistance.
VIII. ― The following directions:
- the direction of legal affairs;
– the direction of communication and the press;
– the direction of the archives.
The Secretary General assists the Minister in defining policies and conducting business. In addition to the missions entrusted to it by the decree of 2 November 1976on behalf of the minister, he has authority over all departments of the department. He chairs the board of directors. He is assisted in his duties by an Assistant Secretary-General.
I. ― The protocol, led by the head of the protocol, ambassadors' introduction, provides the protocol of the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister and the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
It ensures the application in France of diplomatic and consular privileges, immunities and franchises.
II. – The general foreign inspection is responsible for overseeing the operation of the central administration, diplomatic missions and consular posts. It shall exercise the powers provided for by the Decree of 2 November 1979.
The Inspector General is assisted by an Assistant Inspector General.
III. ― The centre of analysis and foresight prepares the Minister's decisions through the analysis of the medium- and long-term developments in international relations and issues affecting them, including religious, migratory and demographic.
It uses, where appropriate, public or private bodies and persons chosen for their competence. He participates in the orientation of the activities of French research institutes abroad and their valorization.
IV. ― The Crisis Centre is responsible for the day before, anticipation, alerting and managing crises taking place abroad and requiring either a response to an event threatening the security of French nationals abroad or an emergency humanitarian action.
It is competent in respect of the safety of established French or foreign nationals. In particular, it deals with issues relating to deaths, disturbing disappearances and hostage-taking of French nationals abroad.
It coordinates the work of the ministerial departments on the security of the French abroad as well as the State's response to emergency humanitarian aid operations decided by the Government. In the areas of its competence, it ensures relations with other international humanitarian actors.
It participates in the development and implementation of the Government's emergency humanitarian policy.
The General Directorate of Political and Security Affairs defines and implements, in its areas of competence, France's action with regard to international organizations and intergovernmental organizations of a global nature. It determines the general policy with respect to these organizations and the conditions for allocation of contributions to them. It is also competent in matters relating to the maintenance and restoration of peace, defence and security, disarmament, supervision and control of sensitive exports, human rights, humanitarian affairs and the Francophonie. It is responsible for structural assistance and cooperation with foreign States in the field of defence and security cooperation.
The Director General has authority for matters of common foreign policy and security and, as appropriate, for matters relating to the external relations of the European Union.
With regard to geographical directions, the Director General coordinates the treatment of political subjects within their jurisdiction.
The direction of continental Europe, the direction of Africa and the Indian Ocean, the direction of North Africa and the Middle East, the direction of the Americas and the Caribbean and the direction of Asia and Oceania follow, in all their aspects, France's relations with non-financial states and regional organizations in their respective geographical areas. They coordinate, in conjunction with the relevant branches, the allocation of resources to the posts in their area.
The Director General of Political and Security Affairs is assisted by an Assistant Director General.
The Director of Africa and the Indian Ocean and the Director of North and Middle East Africa are assisted by a Deputy Director.
The management of the European Union is responsible for monitoring common policies, relations with European institutions, external relations of the European Union and common foreign and security policy. It follows, in all their aspects, the relations of France with the States in its geographical area. It coordinates, in conjunction with the relevant branches, the allocation of resources to the posts in its area.
His director is assisted in his duties by an assistant director.
The General Directorate of Globalization, Development and Partnerships defines and implements, in conjunction with the relevant administrations, France's action on global issues, international cooperation and major sectoral policies, particularly within the framework of multilateral forums within its areas of competence. It promotes French expertise and drives state networks abroad on these issues. It provides, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the guardianship and strategic leadership of the operators of the external action of the State, including the French Development Agency, the Agency for French Education abroad, the French Institute, France Expertise Internationale, Canal France International and Campus France.
It participates, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the definition and implementation of France's economic diplomacy. It supports the international development of French companies, particularly in the strategic sectors for the French economy. It follows international economic and financial issues.
It defines French development strategies and policies on global public goods. It develops the policies and strategies of official development assistance operators and provides, on behalf of this ministry, the joint secretariat of the interdepartmental committee on international cooperation and development. It defines and implements policies to strengthen democratic governance. It contributes to the development and monitoring of French strategies for international cooperation in health, food security, human development, environment and climate.
It defines and implements, with the relevant operators and partners, the policy of influence of France. It is responsible for external cultural and audiovisual activities as well as the policy of promoting the French language and French teaching abroad. It contributes to the development and implementation of cooperation programs in the areas of higher education and research. It participates in the policies of mobility and attractiveness of French territory, especially with regard to foreign students and researchers.
It is responsible for the budgetary programmes for international cooperation and development set out in the finance laws and under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It monitors the international action of non-governmental organizations. It supports the action of local authorities within the framework of decentralized cooperation.
The Director General of Globalization, Development and Partnerships is assisted by an Assistant Director General.
The General Directorate of Administration and Modernization carries out a general mission of administration, organization and modernization of central administration and networks abroad.
It defines and implements the recruitment and training policy for staff. She is responsible for job assignments and job and career management. It is responsible for the preparation of the budget, its execution and its control, the management of the means of operation and the implementation of the information systems policy. It is responsible for issues related to real estate sites.
She is responsible for diplomatic security. The Director General of Administration and Modernization shall serve as the corresponding senior official of defence and security, whose responsibilities are defined by the Articles R. 1143-1 to R. 1143-8 of the Defence Codeand assists the Minister in the exercise of his defence responsibilities.
The general management of administration and modernization is responsible for monitoring public procurement. It is familiar with internal legal issues related to personnel management and the development of statutory texts and texts related to the organization of services. It ensures the application of Decree of 1 June 1979.
The management of the French abroad and the consular administration is responsible for the administration of the French outside of France, for the protection of their rights and interests, and for all consular matters as defined by the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 24 April 1963. She administers the consular network. It ensures the smooth running of the ballots to which the French are called to participate in the elections held outside France and is running elections concerning the foreign communities in France. She participates in the reception of French children in the French teaching network abroad. It is responsible, in its areas of competence, for an information mission of French nationals on conditions of stay outside France. It prepares the work and provides the secretariat of the Assembly of French Foreigners.
It aims to improve the legal security of French people abroad. As such, it contributes to the definition and implementation of the rules of law applicable to them, in particular with regard to personal status, taxation, social security and mutual legal, criminal or civil assistance. It is also responsible for matters relating to civil status events occurring abroad and involving French nationals.
It exercises the powers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with regard to international adoption. It is in charge, in conjunction with the Immigration Department, of the visa allocation policy.
It negotiates and implements international agreements in its areas of competence in conjunction with other relevant administrations.
The Directorate of Legal Affairs, under the authority of a Director, Departmental Counsel, advises the Minister, Directorates and Services of the Central Administration, Diplomatic Missions and Consular posts on issues of international and European law related to their activities. It responds to requests for consultation on international legal issues that may be addressed to it by other departments.
It represents the State before international tribunals of an arbitral or judicial nature, particularly before the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights.
It is consulted on any draft treaty or international and associated agreement as necessary for the negotiation of these instruments.
It is responsible for any questions relating to the law of the sea, river law and poles.
The Director of Legal Affairs is assisted by an Assistant Director.
The Communications and Press Directorate, under the authority of the ministry's spokesman, is responsible for explaining and commenting on the Government's position on international policy issues.
She is the focal point of the central administration, diplomatic missions and consular posts for communication, the press and documentation.
It is responsible for the external communication of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on its missions and activities.
The Director of Communications and the Press is assisted in his duties by an Assistant Director.
Archives management is the administration of the archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the sense of Articles L. 212-1 to L. 213-8 of the Heritage Code.
The archives management keeps the originals of France's international commitments.
It is responsible for the control of current and intermediate archives, regardless of their form and support, central administration, diplomatic and consular posts and institutions under the authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It prepares instructions for the management of these archives. It ensures the sorting, classification, inventory and conservation in the centres of La Courneuve and Nantes of the intermediate and final archives emanating from these services and agencies, of the private archives which are handed over to it or are acquired by the ministry as donation, bequests, assignment or dation, as well as archives of the international bodies entrusted to France after the liquidation of these bodies.
It retains the library of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It retains and produces geographical maps.
It conducts scientific, educational and cultural activities in the field of archives.
It publishes French diplomatic documents and books relating to diplomatic archives.
It represents the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the International Commission for the International Research Service and relevant international archival institutions.
Decree No. 2009-291 of 16 March 2009 amended to organize the central administration of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs is repealed.
The provisions of this Decree come into force on 1 March 2013.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for State Reform, Decentralization and Public Service, the Minister Delegate to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, responsible for European Affairs, the Minister Delegate to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, responsible for development, the Minister Delegate to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, responsible for the Francophonie, and the Minister Delegate to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, responsible for the French Foreign Affairs, are responsible, each with regard to the decree issued
Done on 28 December 2012.
Jean-Marc Ayrault
By the Prime Minister:
Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Laurent Fabius
The Minister of State Reform,
decentralization
and the Public Service,
Marylise Lebranchu
Minister Delegate
to the Minister for Foreign Affairs,
European Affairs Officer
Bernard Cazeneuve
Minister Delegate
to the Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Development Officer
Pascal Canfin
Minister Delegate
to the Minister for Foreign Affairs,
in charge of the Francophonie,
Yamina Benguigui
Minister Delegate
to the Minister for Foreign Affairs,
in charge of the French abroad,
Hélène Conway-Mouret
