European External Action Service would move in-house to the Berlaymont
Germany is pushing a plan to fold the EU’s diplomatic service into the European Commission, strengthening Ursula von der Leyen’s grip on foreign policy.
The proposal, developed with input from France and due to be discussed by foreign ministers in Dublin this week, would de facto spell the end of the standalone service led by Kaja Kallas.
According to diplomats briefed on the proposal, Germany is suggesting the European External Action Service (EEAS) should revert to being a directorate-general of the European Commission, in a bid to reduce internal rivalries.
Kallas would formally gain new responsibilities, coordinating a broader range of policies currently the preserve of the Commission, from humanitarian aid and development to defence, neighbourhood policy, and even trade.
