The NATO Contact Point Embassy (CPE) network was created in 1992 to support the activities of the North Atlantic Co-operation Council (which became the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) in 1997).  Contact Point Embassies have also been established in the countries of the NATO Mediterranean Dialogue and Istanbul Co-operation Initiative.

The Contact Point Embassies play an essential role in assisting NATO with its outreach programme, in particular through information activities and programmes in Partner countries.