Observer Status at the United Nations
Τhe General Assembly of the United Nations on November 1st, at its 31st plenary meeting of 2018 and under the agenda item 176, adopted resolution A/73/462 titled “Observer status for the European Public Law Organization in the General Assembly” which:
«invites the European Public Law Organization (EPLO) to participate in the sessions and the work of the General Assembly in the capacity of observer; and
requests the Secretary-General to take the action necessary to implement the present resolution».
This has been the outcome of a long process that was initiated by Portugal and was adopted unanimously by all member states.
Observer Status at ILO & WIPO
Within this framework of cooperation with the UN the EPLO, was granted Observer Status in 2015 at both:
- The International Labor Organization (ILO), a UN agency
- WIPO- World Intellectual Property Organization, a self-funding agency of the United Nations
Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) Partner
The European Public Law Organization (EPLO) was officially accredited as a Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) Partner at the 24th Meeting of the Contracting Parties (COP24) to the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols, held in Cairo, Egypt, from 2–5 December 2025.
The decision, adopted under Decision IG.27/2 “Governance”, recognizes EPLO’s contribution to the objectives of the Barcelona Convention and its commitment to supporting environmental governance, sustainable development, and institutional capacity‑building across the Mediterranean region.
As a MAP Partner, EPLO joins a network of organizations working closely with UNEP/MAP to advance the implementation of the Barcelona Convention, address the triple environmental crisis of pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate change, and strengthen cooperation among Mediterranean stakeholders. MAP Partners are entitled to participate as observers in relevant meetings, contribute expertise, submit written inputs, and engage in dialogue with Contracting Parties and MAP components.
Cooperation with the World Bank’s GFLJD
In 2012, the EPLO became a partner in the World Bank's Global Forum on Law, Justice and Development (GFLJD), having endorsed the Joint Declaration and Statement of Commitment on Supporting the Global Forum on Law, Justice and Development.
Following the WB’s expressed wish to involve the EPLO also in other activities of common interest worldwide, the Organization has been involved in the following three Thematic Working Groups: (1) Justice and Rule of Law Reform, (2) Governance and Anti-Corruption and (3) Empowerment and Equity for Diverse Communities.