The diplomatic service voted in the European Parliament (update)
(BRUSSELS2 updated July 8) The European Parliament approved by a large majority (549 votes for, 78 against and 17 abstentions) the opinion on the decision creating the diplomatic service. This text should now be included as an A point at a future Council of Ministers. It remains to adopt the financial regulation, that on personnel as well as the 2010 budget, where Parliament has the power of co-decision.
The day before (Wednesday), during the debate at the plenary session, Catherine Ashton, the EU's chief diplomat, confirmed to parliamentarians her commitments to parliamentarians on the establishment of the diplomatic service. She highlighted the “community method” which will be “safeguarded” within the framework of the diplomatic service.
High-representative vices that don't say their name
It has also formalized its representation system: the European commissioners (Georgieva for humanitarian action, Füle for the neighborhood and Piebalgs for development) will thus be delegated to replace the High Representative when she cannot be present during parliamentary debates. . And “from time to time”, it could also be a Minister of Foreign Affairs of the rotating presidency or of the trio of presidencies.
New trips to Gaza and East Africa
Incidentally, Cathy Asthon confirmed that she would return to Gaza on July 17 and 18, before the visit of the Foreign Ministers (1) and also to East Africa (probably in October) to meet the leaders of Tanzania , Kenya, Mozambique… and find solutions to the Somali question.
Parliamentary committees vote
The future diplomatic service had passed the test of parliamentary commissions without too much difficulty. Monday during the night session, the AFCO (Constitutional Affairs) committee voted without blinking the report and the amendments to Guy Verhofstadt's report by 17 votes in favor and 2 votes against. On Tuesday, it was the turn of the AFET (Foreign Affairs) committee.
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
(1) EU – Israel. A high-level EU delegation to Gaza in July (update)
