Brussels, 06/04/2010 (Agence Europe) - Members of the European Parliament constitutional affairs committee have repeated a number of their criticisms following the recent proposals by High Representative Catherine Ashton on the European diplomatic corps, the European External Action Service (EEAS) (see EUROPE 10106). In their discussions, on Tuesday 6 April, on a working paper by Guy Verhostadt (ALDE, Belgium) and Elmar Brok (EPP, Germany) on putting the EEAS in place, MEPs repeated their intention only to approve the two proposals on which they have co-decision powers (the new financial regulation and staff conditions of employment) if they get what they want on the third proposal (which refers to the organisation and operation of the EEAS). The working paper, a precursor to a joint report by Verhofstadt and Brok, will also provide a basis for negotiation with the other institutions.
Adrian Severin (S&D, Romania) said that Parliament was united behind its ideas and was going to use all its powers on budgetary and staff issues to make the other institutions pay more heed to its demands. His Italian colleague Roberto Gualtieri, also calling for co-decision to be made de facto, noted that “on the basic issues, there are no great differences”. Brok and Verhofstadt repeated, with regard to staffing, that at least half of the service's diplomats should come from the European Commission. The treaty does not set out how staff numbers should be made up, Ashton has spoken of at least one third of diplomats coming from member states. This could weigh things too heavily in favour of member states (which will have further “representatives” by way of Council officials), several MEPs lamented. Member states would be well advised to give up on this call for one third of diplomats, said Andrew Duff (ALDE, UK), but Parliament must not be viewed as the institution that slowed the setting up of the EEAS. Verhofstadt ruled out the possibility of this happening, and he repeated the two starting points for negotiation: “Not giving the impression that we are in a hurry, and asking a lot”. (A.B./transl.rt)