The European External Action Service: a Critical Step for a Single European Voice in External Relations

Abstract

The need for the EU to speak with one voice by ensuring coherence between the aspects of EU external action and external aspects of internal policies in order to maximise the coherence, consistency, efficiency, visibility of EU external action on the global stage compelled institutional arrangements in the Lisbon Treaty. The Lisbon Treaty reorganised the powers in the external field by extending the powers, tasks and function of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The European External Action Service was created as a functionally autonomous body under the authority of the High Representative in 2010 to support and assist her/him in fulfilling her/his mandate relating to her/his triple-hatted tasks. This article examines in the light of the post of the High Representative, the true nature of the EEAS, its creation with underlying grounds, its tasks, composition, powers and function in the external foreign policy and its relationship with the institutions