Brussels, 29/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - The executive team of the future European External Action Service (EEAS) is now complete. Catherine Ashton announced on Friday 29 October that Helga Schmid of Germany and Maciej Popowski of Poland would be joining Pierre Vimont of France and David O'Sullivan of Ireland in the quartet responsible for the daily management of the EEAS, which will work under the authority of the EU high representative for foreign affairs. Schmid, who is currently director of the policy planning and early warning unit at the Council secretariat, and Popowski, who was formerly Polish ambassador to the PSC and currently head of the private cabinet under European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek, will both hold deputy secretary general posts. Schmid will be responsible for political affairs and Popowski will be responsible for interinstitutional relations. Both will support Vimont and O'Sullivan who had been appointed, on 25 October, to the posts of executive secretary general and chief operating officer respectively. The EEAS is to become operational on 1 December. (H.B./transl.jl)