26/08/2022 (Agence Europe) – The European External Action Service announced on Friday 26 August the launch of a pilot project to create a fully-fledged European Diplomatic Academy. 42 young European diplomats from EU Member States, EU candidate countries, Georgia or the EU institutions will take part in a nine-month programme starting on 29 August and will be trained in EU foreign and security policies, with the “objective of acquiring skills and competences to effectively promote and defend the EU’s principles and interests in the world”, according to an EEAS statement. Financed with a €990,000 overall budget from the European Parliament, the pilot project has two stages: a pilot academic programme and a feasibility study. (CG)