European Union Special Representative

The European Union Special Representatives (EUSR) are emissaries of the European Union with specific tasks abroad. While the EU's ambassadors are responsible for affairs with a single country, Special Representatives tackle specific issues, conflict areas or regions of countries. They answer directly to the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, currently Josep Borrell.
Current SRs by region.
Europe.
Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Peter Sørensen took over the position of EUSR in Bosnia and Herzegovina with a mandate from 1 September 2011 until 30 June 2015. His post was de-coupled from the one of High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina (which remained in the hands of Valentin Inzko), aiming at fostering the EU pre-accession strategy for Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, in November 2014, Sørensen became Head of the EU Delegation in Geneva, leaving the EUSR BiH post vacant. Lars-Gunnar Wigemark was appointed as the EUSR in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1 March 2015 until 31 October 2015. His mandate was extended until 30 June 2018 and again until 31 August 2019. Johann Sattler replaced him in 2019, with a mandate from 1 September 2019 to 31 August 2021.
Kosovo.
Nataliya Apostolova was appointed as Special Representative in Kosovo for the period from 1 September 2016 to 28 February 2017. Her mandate was extended until 30 June 2018, then until 29 February 2020, and again until 31 August 2020.
South Caucasus and Georgia.
Toivo Klaar was appointed EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia on 13 November 2017. His mandate was extended until 29 February 2020, and again until 28 February 2021.
Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues.
On 3 April 2020, Miroslav Lajčák was appointed by the EU Council as EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues. His 12-month mandate includes the tasks to achieve comprehensive normalisation of the relations between Serbia and Kosovo, improve good neighbourly relations and reconciliation between partners in the Western Balkans, helping them overcome the legacy of the past, and contribute to the consistency and effectiveness of EU action in the Western Balkans. His mandate runs from 2 April 2020 until 31 March 2021.
Asia.
Central Asia.
Peter Burian is the Special Representative for the Central Asia starting from 15 April 2015 until 28 February 2017. His mandate is to promote good relations between the EU and central Asian countries and to strengthen stability, cooperation, democracy and respect for human rights in the region. In particular, the EU Special Representative will co-ordinate EU action in central Asia and oversee the implementation of the EU Strategy for central Asia. His mandate was extended until 30 June 2018 and again until 29 February 2020, and again until 28 February 2021.
Middle East.
Sven Koopmans has been appointed Special Representative for the Middle East peace process. Between 2017 and 2021 "he was a Member of Parliament in the Netherlands, where he was spokesperson on foreign affairs and head of delegation in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly." He succeeds Susanna Terstal who was the special representative starting from 18 September 2018 until 29 February 2020, and again until 28 February 2021. The mandate of the Special Representative is based on the EU's policy objectives regarding the Middle East peace process, which include a two-State solution with Israel and a democratic, contiguous, viable, peaceful and sovereign Palestinian State living side by side within secure and recognised borders enjoying normal relations with their neighbours in accordance with UN Security Council Resolutions 242, 338, 1397 and 1402 and the principles of the Madrid Conference.
Africa.
Horn of Africa (incl. the region of Sudan).
Alexander Rondos was appointed European Union Special Representative for the Horn of Africa on 1 January 2012. His mandate was extended until 28 February 2017. His mandate was again extended until 30 June 2018 and again until 29 February 2020, and again until 31 August 2020.
Sahel.
 was appointed as the EUSR for the Sahel from 1 November 2015 to 28 February 2017. His mandate was extended until 30 June 2018 and again until 29 February 2020, and again until 28 February 2021.
Global.
Human Rights.
A long-standing request for a representative that would be in charge of enhancing the effectiveness and visibility of EU's human rights policy, based on the Strategic Framework and Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy (officially adopted on 25 June 2012), led to the creation of the post of the Special Representative of the European Union for Human Rights. The post, which is providing a strong, independent, flexible and sufficiently broad mandate, is aiming to cover fields such as the strengthening of democracy, International justice, humanitarian law and the abolition of the death penalty .
On 19 February 2019, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini nominated Eamon Gilmore to be European Union Special Representative for Human Rights. His nomination was approved by the Foreign Affairs Council on 20 February 2019. His mandate runs from 1 March 2019 until 28 February 2021.
Previous SRs.
The table below is based on official sources provided by the EU.