Brussels, 12/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - Negotiators of the European Parliament, Commission and Council meeting in “trilogue” on Monday evening, 11 October, managed to come to a draft agreement on the financial regulation required for setting up the new European External Action Service (EEAS). The draft agreement will be discussed by the EP during the plenary session in Strasbourg on 19 October, together with the EEAS 2010 budget and the new staff regulations on which the legal affairs committee is to take a stance on 18 October. The EP's final vote on the whole of the EEAS package is scheduled for Wednesday 20 October.
Inge Grässle of Germany, the EP's rapporteur on the financial regulation, welcomed the agreement negotiated with Council and Commission. “The EP was able to impose strict rules for EEAS spending. The heads of EU delegations (in third countries) should report in detail on how much they have spent on what projects and what their administrative expenses amount to. European taxpayers will have greater transparency in EU foreign policy”, she commented on Tuesday 12 October. The German MEP remains, however, highly critical about the overall volume of the EEAS operating budget which, for 2011, amounts to €475.8 million (an amount that the Council hopes to reduce to €469.8 million - see EUROPE 10233). “The cost of the personnel service must be reduced by 10%, including at the higher levels”, Grässle said, complaining of the “creation of 218 new posts at high grades” and “promotions” that are given “even before the service has begun its work”.
On Catherine Ashton's side, it is stressed that the EEAS, like any other major external service, needs a high number of senior officials not only in the headquarters (HQ) in Brussels but also in the delegations in the world in order to “ensure representation of the EU at a suitably high level”. For that reason, the EEAS needs, on average, more senior officials than other Commission directorates general, it is explained. It is also pointed out that the €475 million for financing EEAS operation in 2011 only represent 0.33% of the EU's total budget foreseen for that same year. (H.B./transl.jl)