Kallas defends EU diplomatic service amid reform debate

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has strongly defended the bloc’s diplomatic service amid growing debate over its future and proposals that could significantly reduce its independence.

EU's top diplomat sent an email to the roughly 5,000 employees of the European External Action Service (EEAS), arguing that the institution continues to provide significant value to the European Union, Caliber.Az reports, citing Politico.

Her message came in response to a French discussion paper that outlined several options for reform, including placing the EEAS entirely under the authority of the European Commission.

“I would … stress how much added value we have provided to Europe as a team, especially at a moment of full-scale war raging in Europe,” Kallas wrote.

The French paper, whose contents were confirmed by POLITICO, follows longstanding criticism from some member states and EU officials who argue that the bloc’s diplomatic apparatus is too slow, institutionally inefficient, and increasingly affected by competition between the EEAS and the European Commission under Ursula von der Leyen.

According to an EU diplomat, the document was an internal paper that had not been approved by the French foreign minister or his advisers and does not represent France’s official position. It reportedly presents three possible reform paths: transferring the EEAS entirely under Commission control, moving key responsibilities to the Council of the European Union, or strengthening the powers of the EU foreign policy chief.

Earlier this year, Jean-Noël Barrot said the European Union needed a stronger diplomatic service.

An EU diplomat familiar with the matter said concerns about the EEAS are discussed regularly among ambassadors and should serve as a warning to Kallas regarding the management of the institution.

In her email, Kallas, who previously served as Prime Minister of Estonia and has led EU diplomacy since 2024, said she welcomed discussions about reform.

“The relationship between the EEAS, the Commission and Member States has been discussed since the Service was established,” she wrote. “Given the unprecedented geopolitical challenges we face, it is only natural that these discussions attract renewed attention and take on greater intensity.”

She added: “I welcome this debate, because it reflects a shared commitment to one objective: ensuring that our institutions and instruments deliver the greatest possible impact for our citizens.”

At the same time, Kallas emphasised that the powers of EU institutions are clearly defined by the bloc’s treaties and that this legal framework remains unchanged. She also noted that ideas for reform would be discussed with EU foreign ministers at an informal meeting after the summer.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov