Since the establishment of sovereignty with the ratification of the constitution in 1993, Andorra has moved to become an active member of the international community. In July 1993, Andorra established its first diplomatic mission in the world to the United Nations.
Foreign affairs are supervised by the Ministry of External Affairs (Catalan: Ministeri d'Afers Exteriors).
Andorra is a full member of the United Nations (UN), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), International Criminal Court (ICC), International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), International Red Cross, Universal Copyright Convention, Council of Europe, World Tourism Organization, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Customs Cooperation Council (CCC), and Interpol. Since 1991, Andorra has had a special agreement with the European Union.
Disputes - international: none
List of countries which Andorra maintains diplomatic relations with:
The United States established diplomatic relations with Andorra on 21 February 1995. The then-Permanent Representative of Andorra to the United Nations, Carles Font-Rossell, was accredited as Andorra's first Ambassador to the United States as of 14 March 2008.[7]
Andorra has had a customs union with the European Union (EU) since 1991, though it excludes agricultural produce. Andorra also maintains its border controls by staying outside of Schengen, though citizens holding a Schengen visa can usually enter. Andorra has a monetary agreement with the EU, allowing it to make the euro its official currency, and permitting it to issue euro coins.
On 8 June 2011, Andorra became the 76th member state of the United Nations to recognise the independence of Kosovo.[a] The Kosovo Minister of Foreign Affairs stated that the two countries would form diplomatic relations very shortly. Previously, in 2008, Andorra was hesitant to recognise the Republic of Kosovo's independence due to a possible precedent in the region and due to pressure from Spain. Andorra and Kosovo established diplomatic relations on 14 September 2011.[14]