BRUSSELS – The future of the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, and the structure of the EU diplomatic service could become a sensitive topic at the upcoming summit of European leaders. According to the Euractiv website, a heated debate is expected regarding a proposal from Germany and France, which seeks to fundamentally change the functioning of the European External Action Service (EEAS).
The EU's diplomatic service has approximately 5,000 employees and handles a significant portion of the Union's foreign policy agenda. Paris and Berlin propose incorporating a substantial part of it into the European Commission. Proponents of the proposal argue that such a reorganization could make European foreign policy stronger, faster, and better coordinated. France and Germany also propose changing the way some staff are recruited. According to their vision, some employees could be hired based on national quotas, which would give individual member states greater influence over the composition of the EU's diplomatic service.
This particular point may be a source of further disputes, according to European officials. Euractiv points out that any reform could strengthen the direct influence of member states on shaping the EU's common foreign policy. However, Kallas disagrees with the Franco-German plan. According to information from the website, the head of European diplomacy criticized the proposal, arguing that it does not have sufficient support among member states. She is also concerned about changes in the balance of power within European institutions. According to Kallas, strengthening the role of the High Representative for Foreign Policy directly within the European Commission could remain a purely formal change.
In her view, the President of the European Commission could gradually take over the actual decision-making process regarding foreign policy. Therefore, the dispute is not only about the organizational structure of the European administration but also about who will have the decisive influence in the future on the foreign and security policy of the European Union. The proposal comes at a time when the EU faces numerous foreign policy challenges and is striving to strengthen its ability to respond to international crises. Therefore, the outcome of the debate could affect not only the functioning of European diplomacy but also the distribution of powers between the European Commission, member states, and the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Policy.
gnews.cz - Geoffrey Hunt