Superstate rolls back: Commission ditches plan to establish EU embassies around the world
Posted, May 06, 2008 @ 00:00
Commission concedes that Reform Treaty will not lead to full scale diplomatic role for EU
Brussels, 6th May 2008 -- Europe will not be creating new embassies around the world if the Reform Treaty comes into force following a question from Conservative Foreign Affairs Spokesman Dr Charles Tannock MEP.
In a reply during today's Foreign Affairs Committee meeting to Dr Tannock, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the External Affairs Commissioner, stated today that EU missions abroad* would be designated as delegations and would not have the full diplomatic status of sovereign states.
Dr Tannock said:
"Britain would not accept full diplomatic trappings for the EU so I am glad the Commission have accepted that the days of these superstate pretensions are over.
"The EU should aim to help member states compete in the world rather than muscle in on diplomatic territory best left to national players.
"However, despite this welcome news, I wait to see whether the Heads of Delegation decide to call themselves Ambassadors."
* The European External Action Service