Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05BRUSSELS2160
2005-06-07 08:25:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:  

WORK CONTINUES ON THE EU'S PROPOSED "EXTERNAL

Tags:  PREL PGOV EAID CMGT EUN 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 002160 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID CMGT EUN
SUBJECT: WORK CONTINUES ON THE EU'S PROPOSED "EXTERNAL
ACTION SERVICE"

REF: A. USEU BRUSSELS 2059


B. USEU BRUSSELS 1583

Classified By: Rick Holtzapple, PolOff, Reasons 1.4 (B/D)

SUMMARY
--------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 002160

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID CMGT EUN
SUBJECT: WORK CONTINUES ON THE EU'S PROPOSED "EXTERNAL
ACTION SERVICE"

REF: A. USEU BRUSSELS 2059


B. USEU BRUSSELS 1583

Classified By: Rick Holtzapple, PolOff, Reasons 1.4 (B/D)

SUMMARY
--------------

1. (C) While French and Dutch rejection of the EU
Constitution has likely killed that document, one of the
first ideas contained within it that may be implemented via
other means is creation of an EU Foreign Minister supported
by a European External Action Service. This may still be
years away, but preparatory work has already begun. The
administrative details will be very complicated, and a major
battle is looming over just how much of the Commission staff
would be moved to such an institution. END SUMMARY.

EEAS: A New Corps of Eurodipomats
--------------


2. (SBU) One of the most widely touted innovations in the
proposed EU Constitutional Treaty is the creation of a
European External Action Service (EEAS) to assist a new EU
Minister of Foreign Affairs (EUFM). While the fate of the
Constitutional Treaty now looks bleak after its rejection by
French and Dutch voters (Ref A),the idea of creating an EUFM
and EEAS are among the most likely Constitutional proposals
that the EU may try to implement as part of a minimal treaty
revision exercise, or even absent any change to the EU's
current treaties. In a press release issued after the French
referendum, Solana said, "I still think it is suitable to
keep on working on the establishment of an EEAS. This
service will definitely come into existence sooner or later."



3. (C) A Council source told us Commission and Council
lawyers argue strongly that the EUFM position cannot be
created without changes to the current EU treaties. But not
all EU officials see this as the case. A Commission official
involved in preparatory work on the EEAS speculated to us
that the EUFM and EEAS could be done by unanimous Council
decision, if the political will existed among Member States
to do so. "This is Europe," she told us, "so where there is
a will there is a way." It is unlikely this would occur
immediately after declaring the Constitution dead, but it

could be conceivable within the next few years. At present,
however, Member States are divided over the value of pressing
ahead in this area. There appears to be consensus, however,
that there is little point in pursuing the EEAS unless there
is an EUFM to report to. Pending a decision by EU
governments to pursue the EUFM idea further, Council contacts
told us that steps in this area would be confined to things
such as beefing up Solana's staff in the Council Secretariat
and perhaps posting some of the Council staff who report
directly to Solana abroad to sit with the Commission
delegations in some key capitals.

What Exactly Would They Do?
--------------


4. (U) As for creation of an EEAS, the Constitution itself is
very vague about what it would do. Article III-197(3) says
only, "This service will work in cooperation with the
diplomatic services of the Member States and shall comprise
officials from relevant departments of the General
Secretariat of the Council and the Commission as well as

SIPDIS
staff seconded from national diplomatic services of the
Member States. The organization and functioning of the EEAS
shall be established by a European decision of the Council."
The Commission and Council Secretariat have been working
steadily since last fall developing a report to the Member
States on what the EEAS could look like. High Rep Solana and
Commission President Barroso plan to present the report to
the June 16-17 EU Summit.


5. (C) Council Secretariat and Commission officials have been
working on this report since last fall. It has not been
simple. One unanswered question is how much of the
Commission's staff would join the EEAS. All agree the
External Relations Directorate General (DG RELEX) would be
part of the new service. Whether Commission staff within
other parts of "the RELEX family" would join is uncertain.
(The RELEX family also covers the DGs of Development,
Enlargement, Trade, Europe Aid Cooperation (AIDCO),and
Humanitarian Aid (ECHO)). The betting is that Trade and
Enlargement would remain outside the EEAS, but a major battle
could erupt over DGs Development, AIDCO and ECHO.
Development Commissioner Louis Michel insists these staffs
must remain outside the EEAS, but others involved in the
discussion point out that leaving 77 of the EU's foreign
delegations outside of the new system would severely impair
its effectiveness.


6. (SBU) Another key debate has been where the EEAS would
reside institutionally. The Council Secretariat and most
Member States have argued the EEAS must be a sui generis
institution separate from the rest of the EU's personnel
systems, as a reflection of its hybrid existence combining
Commission and Council authorities, a unique role among EU
bodies. The Commission has raised some doubts about this, as
it is loath to see any of its current authorities, such as
programming of EU assistance funds, migrate to a system that
could be outside of direct control by the College of
Commissioners. The European Parliament has been even more
adamant, approving a resolution on May 26 supporting creation
of the EEAS, but insisting it must be part of the
Commission's structures, thereby giving the EP oversight of
the service. (NOTE: The EP would also like to expand its
powers over the EU's external representation by, for example,
being given the right to vet or even confirm the ambassadors
named to serve as the EU's Heads of Delegations abroad.
Neither the Council nor the Commission are keen to give the
EP such a role. END NOTE.)
Consular Role Still Debated
--------------


7. (SBU) There is also some question about the scope of the
EEAS's authorities abroad. All agree the EEAS would assume
the duties currently exercised by EC delegations abroad, and
also represent Solana and EU policies adopted under the EU's
Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). But some have
suggested the EEAS foreign missions could also take on a
consular role, particularly for EU countries without their
own missions in a country. Smaller member states tend to
favor this idea, as do some Commission officials who see this
as an important public relations tool to convince the average
European of the benefits of EU membership. Solana, however,
is reported not to be eager to have the EEAS do such work. A
Commission official speculated that this was because Solana
did not want to be distracted from the "high politics" of
CFSP, and saw consular responsibilities as a likely source of
demands on the EEAS' time and of complaints about its
functioning. Some bigger member states are also opposed,
noting that they already pay to support global consular
services, and therefore sharing out the costs of such an
operation within the EEAS would be too complicated.
Partisans of the consular role retort that it is precisely
those member states who could close or consolidate their
embassies once the EU could cover consular duties that could
save the most money.


8. (C) COMMENT: In Ref B, we noted that creation of an EUFM,
supported by an EEAS with EU diplomatic missions around the
world, would provide the EU with a more authoritative voice
for promoting the EU's CFSP, ESDP and other external policies
globally. For most member states, this would be a clear gain
and that is why the idea enjoys strong support within the
Council, even if the details could still prove controversial.
We suspect, however, that some member states -- particularly
the British, but in some places others as well -- worry that
having an EU ambassador in situ replacing the current divided
role of Commission head of delegation and rotating Council
Presidency ambassador could diminish their own ambassador's
influence in a country. While all member states agreed to
accept the proposals as part of the overall Constitutional
package, the EUFM and EEAS proposals might not be able to
muster the necessary political momentum in isolation to see
them implemented. EU leaders will also be leery of
accusations that such a step will somehow be a slap in the
face to the democratically expressed views of the electorate.
For these reasons, while we tend to agree with Solana that
the EEAS will eventually come into existence, we think it
will be more "later" than "sooner." END COMMENT.

MCKINLEY
.