Kulakowski was a Member of the National Council of the European Integration, Advisory Group appointed by President Aleksander Kwasniewski. He was a member of the Royal Institute of International Affairs in Belgium. He was the Vice-President of Association France-Pologne pour l’ Europe and the Polish Council of the European Movement.
1954–1957: Member of the General Secretariat of the International Federation of Christian Trade Unions
1974–1976: Secretary, General Secretary of the European Organisation of the International Federation of Christian Trade Unions
Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation
1976–1989: General Secretary, World Confederation of Labour
1990–1996: Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Republic of Poland, head of the Polish mission to the European Community
1998–2001: secretary of state in the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, government plenipotentiary for Poland's accession negotiations to the European Union
Official Patron of the International European School in Warsaw (2012)
In 2001, Kulakowski won the Kisiel Prize. He was a member of the Royal Institute of International Relations in Belgium.
Author and co-author of numerous reports, documents, articles and essays devoted to world’s trade union movement and issues resulting in bilateral relations of Poland and the European Union.
Jan Kulakowski was married to Zofia Kulakowska-Wajs. They had three daughters.