Press release
Statement on the European External Action Service
External relations - 21-06-2010 - 19:13
General
General
Statement of the European Parliament, The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council and the Commission on the European External Action Service following the quadrilateral Meeting on 21 June 2010.
The Presidency of the Council of the EU (Minister Moratinos and Secretary of State Lopez Garrido), the High Representative (Catherine Ashton), the Commission (Maroš Šefčovič) and the European Parliament representatives (MEPs Brok, Verhofstadt and Gualtieri) met on 21 June 2010 in Madrid. This meeting has been preceded by a number of contacts with the European Parliament, in particular on 14 April, 27 April, 10 May, 27 May and 8 June 2010.
- The parties reached today political agreement on the proposal for a Council Decision establishing the organisation and functioning of the European External Action Service. In addition to the Decision, parties reached agreement on the text of two Declarations by the High Representative: on political accountability and on the basic structure of the central administration.
- On the basis of the agreement reached, the participants committed themselves to seek endorsement of the package by their respective institutions as soon as possible in order to proceed to formal adoption of the Council Decision establishing the organisation and functioning of the European External Action Service and the related Declarations, once all the procedural steps would have been completed.
- In addition, the participants agreed that they have now to work constructively for the solution of the remaining questions in particular the adoption of the Financial Regulation and the Staff Regulations.
REF.: 20100621IPR76450