EP wil nieuwe Europese diplomatieke dienst onderworpen aan toezicht (en)

The EP Constitutional Affairs Committee called on Monday for the planned EU diplomatic service to be part of the Commission structure and be funded from the EU budget. This set-up would make the service subject to democratic scrutiny by the European Parliament.

The creation of the European External Action Service (EEAS) due to be established by the Lisbon Treaty was dealt with in a report drafted for the committee by Elmar Brok (EPP, DE). Consisting of officials from the Commission, Council and Member States, the EEAS will assist the High Representative for external relations.

Service must be part of Commission structure

The Council will decide how to organise the service on the basis of a proposal from the High Representative after consulting the Parliament and obtaining the consent of the Commission. MEPs now call on the Commission "to put its full weight" behind preserving the Community model in EU external relations.

According to MEPs, "as a sui generis service from an organisational and budgetary point of view, the EEAS must be incorporated into the Commission's administrative structure". However, some fields of current Commission external relations need not be assigned to the EEAS: departments such as trade, enlargement and development could remain outside the service if a "specific model" is provided for them.

MEPs say Commission delegations in third countries, as well as Council liaison and EU Special Representative offices should be merged to form "Union embassies", headed by EEAS staff which would be answerable to the High Representative, who will also be Vice-President of the Commission responsible for external relations.

Don't waste time on controversies, say MEPs

The Constitutional Affairs Committee's report points out that "the establishment of the EEAS must include agreement on the budgetary issues" and "reiterates its determination to exercise its budgetary powers to the full in connection with these institutional innovations".

It also states that a position on the EEAS will be requested from the Commission Vice-President-designate at the parliamentary hearing during procedure for the appointment of the Commission.

MEPs recommend "that political agreement be reached with Parliament on all issues at an early stage in order to avoid valuable time being wasted on political controversies about the form to be taken by the EEAS after the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon". The full Parliament votes on the issue on Thursday 22 October.

19/10/2009

Committee on Constitutional Affairs

In the chair: Carlo Casini (EPP, IT)