The EP dictates its three wishes to Cathy Ashton

March 25, 2010September 11, 2016 Nicolas Gros Verheyde

(BRUSSELS2) “ We sang to him in every key. If with that she did not understand Guy Verhofstadt, the former Belgian Prime Minister, and leader of the Liberals & Democrats in the European Parliament did not hide his joy just after the hearing of Cathy Ashton, the EU's chief diplomat, who was in Parliament, Tuesday, to discuss with MEPs on the outlines of the future European External Action Service. And, indeed, group after group, MEPs repeated an almost identical anth. Everyone intoning it with nuances. Written by the German Elmar Brok (CDU) and the Belgian Guy Verhofstadt (VLD), the "non-paper" (which is in fact a quasi-official report from Parliament) and theorganizational chart which is attached to it, are thus shared, more or less, by most of the groups: EPP, Socialists and Democrats of the S&D, Liberals and Democrats of the ALDE, Greens (with a reservation on the management of the military crisis). Three intentions thus emerge.

Parliament wants to assert its competence

First, at the budgetary level, which comes out of its prime competence. " We should have one budget line per mission explains Franziska Brantner (Greens, Germany). The EP wants to have a proposal on the future staff regulations as soon as possible. Finally, he wants to be able to hear the special representatives and the heads of delegation before the appointment.

Cathy Asthon assured the European Parliament that it " can play a full role » in particular that he will have a « full financial control on the Service's budget. As for appointments, she clarified that each person appointed, at least for the main positions, would have a “ informal interview with the members of the Commission. A gentleman's agreement has been made to this effect with the officials of Parliament. The special representative in Afghanistan, the Lithuanian Usackas inaugurated this formula on Tuesday (1). He should be followed by the new EU ambassador in Washington, Joao Vale de Almeida, whose appointment had been contested (2).

The External Action Service should be as large and as close to the Commission as possible

Thus it must cover development such as the neighborhood policy (competences normally of the European commissioners Georgieva and Füle). It must be as connected as possible to the European Commission, at the administrative and budgetary levels to avoid duplication. " Either we have a small service very independent of the Commission, the size of Solana's service; be a large department that deals with important policies explains Verhofstadt (ALDE, Belgium). " But IWe must avoid having two separate administrations” he added.

“The service is not attached to the Commission. He is related to him. » replied Ashton. " We will go in the direction of Parliament. We will have a global approach. Sometimes, in certain countries, it will be necessary to insist on trade; in others it will be the climate. In some, the military will be included, as in Somalia. » « The important thing is to show that the EU is in action » she added. "The prerogatives of (other) commissioners must be preserved".

Political assistants to the High Representative

MEPs do not agree with the principle of a general secretariat which would create a "screen" between the services and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. They prefer the formula found by the Convention, that of deputies. " We think of politicians, not civil servants thundered Elmar Brok (EPP, Germany). Officials who can replace the EU's chief diplomat in certain functions if necessary and come and explain themselves to the European Parliament. They also believe that the system of mandating ministers of member states as special envoys is negative. " This idea of Ministers as special envoys will atomize the European position” considers Kristian Vigenin (S&D, Bulgaria). More generally, the question of appointing heads of service, the necessary balance between men and women and above all geographical balance were widely mentioned, particularly by the deputies from Eastern Europe (who do not yet have a large diplomatic corps ).

Regarding a political assistant, Cathy Ashton assured “ I understood the message. (...) I'll think about it. (...) I will try to be present as often as possible. But you have to find a system when I can't be. (...) We must continue the discussion ". Responding indirectly to the hypothesis of the appointment of the French Pierre Vimont to the post of secretary general, she let go laconic: " Who knows what his nationality will be? ». She was very open to the appointment of women. " I have in my office a photo with all the heads of delegation. It's dominated by men. This needs to be changed. The gender imbalance must be addressed. » Regarding geographical balance, it was less direct. It's true, she admitted, Il there are few representatives from southern or eastern countries. We must do what we can to correct this. ". But this cannot be done immediately. " He
will take years. It's the same thing in the Commission”. She thus has refused any geographical quota, the important thing is to have the right people ". On the fact of no longer appointing Ministers as special envoys, she was more reluctant. " Ministers are very useful - she explains - Very often, they tell me where they are going, and can thus send a message to our interlocutors. They can make a speech on my behalf and replace me. »