EU FOREIGN policy chief Catherine Ashton has struck a deal with the European Commission on the EU’s diplomatic corps as her colleagues on the EU executive set aside reservations about the assignment of key functions to the new body.
The agreement transfers significant powers to Ms Ashton, a relative newcomer to international diplomacy who was appointed as a compromise candidate by EU leaders last autumn.
It comes against the backdrop of turf battles within EU institutions and member states for influence over the new body.
EU member states must still approve plans for the European External Action Service (EAS) and the European Parliament must agree on its staffing and financial plans. However, sources close to Ms Ashton expressed confidence that the way was now clear to set in motion the organisation’s formal establishment next month.
The sources portrayed the arrangements as a decisive step forward for Ms Ashton, who is also a vice-president of the commission and chairwoman of the assembly of EU foreign ministers.
“She was appointed to achieve a consensus. That was very difficult at times. There was a lot of resistance. At the end of the day she has come out of this with a result,” said a source.
The EAS will be placed under Ms Ashton’s authority and will be functionally autonomous, operating separately from the commission and the European Council, with divisions covering all countries and regions of the world.
Among other responsibilities, Ms Ashton will determine where the union’s multibillion-euro development budget is spent. Such power currently rests with the commission, which had resisted yielding these responsibilities.
The EAS will have responsibility for preparing commission decisions on strategic priorities in the EU’s development and neighbourhood programmes and their financial plans. It will set country allocations, have responsibility for country and regional strategic papers, and prepare national and regional indicative programmes.
However, the relevant European commissioners will continue to have a direct say over “any proposals” for changes to the development and neighbourhood funds before jointly submitting them with Ms Ashton to the commission.
Ms Ashton will be the appointing authority in respect of officials working in the EAS.
Although EU member states are angling to secure top-ranking positions in delegations for national diplomats, the agreement says all appointments to the EAS shall be based on merit and on the broadest possible geographical basis.