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The European External Action Service: Changing the Nature of Diplomacy or Old Wine in New Bottles?

November 2012

Dr Simon DukeEuropean Institute of Public Administration (EIPA)

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Important to consider what has been accomplished over two years but also the setting in which the development of the EEAS took place:

The hidden crisis (preceded euro crisis)

Ambiguities about the status of the Service (not an institution)

View to budget neutrality

Ill-defined institutional space (and ambiguous reception from MS)

Nature of composition and mindsets

Context of review

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‘Recruitment should be based on merit whilst ensuring adequate geographical and gender balance. The staff of the EEAS should comprise a meaningful presence of nationals from all the Member States. The review foreseen for 2013 should also cover this issue’

(Council decision July 2010)

Subjective terms (idea of quotas dismissed);

Significant legacy problems;

Geographical balance compounded by differing history, experience and interests – but now all MS represented at HoD level except Cyprus;

Gender balance reflects legacy with few women at senior levels in EEAS as well as national MFAs

The composition of the service: questions of balance

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The composition of the service: Geographical balance

MEMBER STATES DIPLOMATS AS PROPORTION OF AD STAFF

CountriesMember State

Diplomats

% of total staff

AD Officials% of total staff

Total% of total staff

Austria 11 1,2% 17 1,9% 28 3,1%

Belgium 15 1,6% 48 5,2% 63 6,9%

Bulgaria 9 1,0% 3 0,3% 12 1,3%

Cyprus 1 0,1% 3 0,3% 4 0,4%

Czech rep. 12 1,3% 11 1,2% 23 2,5%

Denmark 6 0,7% 17 1,9% 23 2,5%

Estonia 7 0,8% 5 0,5% 12 1,3%

Finland 8 0,9% 17 1,9% 25 2,7%

France 31 3,4% 90 9,8% 121 13,2%

Germany 14 1,5% 71 7,7% 85 9,3%

Greece 7 0,8% 25 2,7% 32 3,5%

Hungary 8 0,9% 8 0,9% 16 1,7%

Ireland 6 0,7% 16 1,7% 22 2,4%

Italy 12 1,3% 88 9,6% 100 10,9%

Latvia 5 0,5% 4 0,4% 9 1,0%

Lithuania 4 0,4% 6 0,7% 10 1,1%

Luxembourg 2 0,2% 2 0,2% 4 0,4%

Malta 5 0,5% 2 0,2% 7 0,8%

Netherlands 8 0,9% 23 2,5% 31 3,4%

Poland 9 1,0% 29 3,2% 38 4,1%

Portugal 7 0,8% 20 2,2% 27 2,9%

Romania 8 0,9% 2 0,2% 10 1,1%

Slovakia 6 0,7% 3 0,3% 9 1,0%

Slovenia 3 0,3% 3 0,3% 6 0,7%

Spain 13 1,4% 77 8,4% 90 9,8%

Sweden 10 1,1% 26 2,8% 36 3,9%

United Kingdom 21 2,3% 54 5,9% 75 8,2%

Total 248 27% 670 73,0% 918 100%

Total number of authorised AD posts 920AD posts occupied by MS diplomats 248Percentage MS diplomats AD 26.9%

Total number of authorised posts DEL 346AD posts occupied by MS diplomats 131Percentage of MS diplomats DEL 37.8%

Total number of authorised posts HQ 574AD posts occupied by MS diplomats 117Percentage of MS diplomats HQ 20.3%

Source: Staffing in the EEAS, 1 June 2012

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The composition of the service: Gender balance

Source: Staffing in the EEAS, 1 June 2012

Headquarters

               

Delegations  

Men Women Total Men Women TotalTotal HQ/

DelegationsNo. % No. % No. % Nb %Grade No. % No. % No. %

AD16 3 0,6 % 0 0,0 % 3 0,6 % 3 0,9 %   0,0 % 3 0,9 % 6 0,7 %AD15 12 2,2 % 3 0,6 % 15 2,8 % 10 2,9 % 1 0,3 % 11 3,2 % 26 2,9 %AD14 34 6,3 % 1 0,2 % 35 6,4 % 31 9,1 % 6 1,8 % 37 10,9 % 72 8,1 %AD13 52 9,6 % 24 4,4 % 76 14,0 % 69 20,2 % 13 3,8 % 82 24,0 % 158 17,9 %AD12 100 18,4 % 35 6,4 % 135 24,8 % 75 22,0 % 26 7,6 % 101 29,6 % 236 26,7 %AD11 30 5,5 % 13 2,4 % 43 7,9 % 13 3,8 % 6 1,8 % 19 5,6 % 62 7,0 %AD10 30 5,5 % 21 3,9 % 51 9,4 % 13 3,8 % 8 2,3 % 21 6,2 % 72 8,1 %AD9 39 7,2 % 14 2,6 % 53 9,7 % 10 2,9 % 2 0,6 % 12 3,5 % 65 7,3 %AD8 11 2,0 % 12 2,2 % 23 4,2 % 7 2,1 % 4 1,2 % 11 3,2 % 34 3,8 %AD7 26 4,8 % 23 4,2 % 49 9,0 % 19 5,6 % 11 3,2 % 30 8,8 % 79 8,9 %AD6 13 2,4 % 13 2,4 % 26 4,8 % 4 1,2 % 1 0,3 % 5 1,5 % 31 3,5 %AD5 20 3,7 % 15 2,8 % 35 6,4 % 4 1,2 % 5 1,5 % 9 2,6 % 44 5,0 %

Total: 370 68 % 174 32 % 544 100 % 258 76 % 83 24 % 341 100% 885 100 %

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• 125 HoD (or equivalent) posts†

-- 24 women (19.2%)

-- 15 nationals of MS who joined in 2004/7 (12.0%)

-- 40 of 125 posts occupied by MS diplomats (8 women (23.5%) and 13 are nationals of MS who joined in 2004/7 (32.5%))

-- ALSO 25 Deputy HoDs (7 women (25.9%) and 9 are nationals of MS who joined in 2004/7 (33.3%)

† Includes 2012 rotation

The composition of the service: Heads of Delegations

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• Limited possibilities for short-term change BUT progress has been made where possible (symbolic?);

• Geographical balance linked to size of MFA and relevant experience and thus competitiveness (more emphasis on training and preparation needed);

• Gender balance a different issue and part of ongoing legacy issue (Relex and many parts of COM show similar patterns) while different patterns evident at AST levels ;

• CCA’s important role; should ensure recruitment panels are balanced; mentoring role under-developed; women-dominant short lists (and targets); spousal employment and provision for children & parental leave (DEL); Task Force operating under HR/VP

• Balance important for ‘ownership’ of EEAS but question of whether Service merely reflects wider-spread problem including MS MFAs

The composition of the service: A more balanced service?

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It is clear to many that an effective external action based on the coordination between the various European actors of foreign relations depends inevitably on personal relations, common experiences and mutual knowledge. In this sense, training appears as an extremely effective tool to build up those personal relations at an early stage of a diplomatic career. Training also allows to enhance a common knowledge of the different national backgrounds and interests and the diverse administrative cultures and therefore, to create a common European administrative culture and a “spécificité du métier diplomatique européen”.

Iñigo Méndez de Vigo, member of the Convention, "Towards the establishment of a common European diplomacy, " Working Group VII ‘External Action’, Working Document 55, Brussels, 3 December 2002, p.6.

The preparation of the service: Training

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• Original plans for a Diplomatic Training Academy derailed;

• Current training lacks strategic dimension;

• Short-duration of induction courses leaves little room for potential socialisation effect;

• Existing training a mix of skills and analytical (carried out via EAS, internally, ESDC, framework contract with outside providers) BUT issue of whether it responds to diverse training demands of MS and EEAS officials;

• General lack of coordination with other training in ext. rels (Devco, Trade, Enlargement etc) as well as with MS diplomatic training

• Limited budget & resources a significant constraint

• Most EEAS staff (locally engaged) excluded

The preparation of the service: Training

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The preparation of the service: Reforming training

•Training for all EEAS staff;•Training that relates specifically to the external

relations functions;•Training that clearly demonstrates value added (i.e. beyond existing training offerings in the EU institutions and the

Member States);•The presence of a harmonised curriculum as the basis for

not only an esprit de corps but as a fundamental tool in shaping the Service;

•Embrace new forms of learning (e-learning, blended etc);

•Adequate resources (only €1m and few staff)