Politico: Europe’s diplomatic arm to slash foreign offices

The European Union's diplomatic branch is preparing to downsize around 10 of its foreign delegations and cut approximately 100 local staff members, according to internal plans reviewed by POLITICO and confirmed by two EU officials familiar with the matter.

The shake-up, approved by top European Commission leaders last week, was presented by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas as part of a broader restructuring of the European External Action Service (EEAS). The changes are expected to be implemented gradually over the next two years, the officials said.

Delegations in countries where the EU sees diminishing strategic interest—such as Belarus and Lesotho—are among those set to be scaled back. The move reflects a wider shift in EU foreign policy, away from traditional development aid toward goals like sanctions enforcement and defence cooperation.

While no delegation closures are officially planned, around 10 missions will be reduced to core staffing levels, typically consisting of just an ambassador and one or two aides. Local staff will be phased out, and the remaining personnel may work remotely, effectively rendering those missions inactive, one official noted.

The EEAS operates 144 delegations worldwide. The cuts to local staff are expected to occur in two phases, in 2026 and 2027, the second official said.

The redistribution of resources will also see certain delegations reinforced in line with the EU’s evolving foreign policy priorities.

By Khagan Isayev