The two governments are about to begin advertising for individuals to fill the posts of director of European affairs and European affairs adviser.
As reported, the new Channel Islands Brussels office would represent the political and economic interests of Guernsey and Jersey, which are currently handled in the Belgian and European Union capital city by the Brunswick public relations and lobbying firm.
In a jointly-issued statement, Jersey and Guernsey said the director of European affairs will be the islands’ senior representative in Europe as well as the head of their Brussels office. He or she would work “to develop the Channel Islands’ influence, advising the islands’ governments on European matters, and support engagement with business and industry”.
The European affairs adviser would support the director, while also providing the Guernsey and Jersey’s governments with research and analysis of European issues.
Jersey chief minister Terry Le Sueur, said: “These roles provide a unique opportunity to shape European engagement for the Channel Islands. By combining resources, we can establish a small but effective office to represent both our interests.”
“Brussels, as the administrative centre of Europe, and a global hub for business and politics, is where we need to be and where we need to engage,” added Guernsey chief minister Lyndon Trott.
Advertisements for the posts are available now on the Guernsey and Jersey government websites. They will also appear in the Jersey Evening Post on 26 August and the Guernsey Press on 28 August, The London Times’ website on 29 August and in the Sunday Times on 5 September, as well as certain Brussels publications.
Over the past two years Guernsey and Jersey have opened marketing offices in Shanghai and Hong Kong, respectively, and Jersey opened one in London, through their Guernsey Finance and Jersey Finance marketing arms.
The Brussels office would be slightly different in that it would be more focused on governmental matters than marketing, and would represent the islands as a whole, not just their financial services industries, island officials point out.
