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Blog AnalysisEEAS High Representative

Eight special representatives of the EU encysted in the landscape. Efficiency?

(B2) The European Union currently has eight Special Representatives (Bosnia-Herzegovina*, Kosovo*, Middle East Peace Process, Central Asia, South Caucasus and crisis in Georgia, Horn of Africa, Sahel, Rights of man)

Special Representative for Central Asia Peter Burian in New York (credit: EEAS)

Super-diplomats with invisible efficiency

These competent 'super diplomats' have become so 'embedded' in the landscape, in an almost permanent function, that it is nevertheless very difficult to situate their usefulness in the European landscape (1). Their real activity remains a great mystery. No action report is available: neither oral (press conference, etc.) nor written (annual report).

A superposition rather than a simplification

Their existence — provided for by the European Treaty — is now so superimposed on the existing structures — EU delegation + geographical division or department of the EEAS headquarters + CSDP missions or operations — that it actually complicates the local landscape rather than it only simplifies it. Their coordination role turns out to be a decoy because all these structures obey totally different imperatives and chains of command. I was shouted at by several Africans, for example, asking me who was the European representative in their country. Nice question.

A significant cost

However, the cost of these structures is not negligible. In 2018, according to the latest inventory drawn up by the European Commission, the budget amounted to 20,745 million euros! However, few Member States are prepared to abolish this modality, which represents a 'cheese' that is not unpleasant to distribute.

Necessary rationalization?

In concrete terms, the question of abolishing most of these posts in favor of a 'good' local ambassador, endowed with a role of regional coordination, or quite simply the director or head of division at the headquarters of the European diplomatic service, whose it's a bit the role (2). This would have the merit both of rationalizing the European diplomatic system, and of freeing up budgetary margins to do something else. NB: Reduced to the average salary of a diplomat (6-7000 euros), we could hire a team of at least 200 diplomats... this is not negligible

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

  1. Two of its representatives have a double hat (marked *), also ensuring the role of head of delegation. There are also special envoys within the EEAS (for space). Others are attached to the European Commission, such as Jan Figel, special envoy for freedom of religion, whose role is just as confused. There we are more in a role of circumstance intended to reward a 'friend'.
  2. Member States are often against the abolition of EUSRs not for the sake of efficiency, but quite simply to retain the chance of obtaining additional positions, of higher rank and influence, for their national diplomats, who can thus move, under European label, without real control.

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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