A legal opinion obtained by NGOs says that High Representative Catherine Ashton’s proposal for the organisation of the European External Action Service (EEAS), which was approved by member states last week, is in breach of the EU treaties. A coalition of development NGOs including CIDSE, Oxfam International, APRODEV, CONCORD, Eurostep and One International has urged an immediate review of the proposal.

Ashton’s proposal for the EEAS gives the new service unprecedented control over the EU’s development cooperation efforts and budget, taking them away from the exclusive competence of the Commission. This move puts in jeopardy the Lisbon Treaty’s provision that poverty reduction must be the “primary objective” of EU development policy, by increasing the probability that development policy will be influenced by foreign policy objectives.

“Ashton's desire to set the direction of how EU development money is spent is potentially bad news," said Elise Ford, head of Oxfam International's EU office. “Her proposal on the EU's first ever diplomatic service risks making poverty objectives hostage to foreign policy goals. It is now up to EU member states and the European Parliament to rectify Ashton's misconception about what effective development policy is,” she said.

“Poor countries need EC Development Commissioner Piebalgs to make budgetary decisions on the basis of where needs and potential for impact are greatest, rather than being driven by the political and strategic objectives of the Union,” she added.

The EEAS’ budget and staff allocations still have to be approved by the European Parliament, where the proposal faces strong opposition. The same day that Catherine Ashton unveiled her proposal, a cross-party group of MEPs issued a statement stating that it was unacceptable to Parliament. MEPs claim that the EEAS secretary-general has been given far too much power, and are calling for the EEAS to be fully integrated with the Commission to ensure full Parliamentary scrutiny.

Sources:

• DevWire.eu
• European Voice
• TheParliament
• EUobserver

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• Lawyers say Ashton's EEAS proposal is contrary to Lisbon Treaty
• Parliament links budget approval to agreement on EEAS organisation
• Green perspectives on EEAS: Debate with Civil Society
• EU’s new diplomatic service to control development budget
• Ashton's proposal for the EEAS contradicts the intentions of the Treaty
• Ashton outlines organisational structure of EEAS
• MEPs' anger over EEAS
• Establishing the EEAS in conformity with the Treaty
• EU Commission and Member States battle for control of EEAS
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• Commission discusses terms of recruitment for EEAS
• Ashton sidelines Parliament in creation of EEAS working group
• Briefing No. 48: Defining the EU's Management and Implementation of its External Actions
• Briefing No. 44: Five Compelling Reasons why to keep Development outside the EEAS