The European Commission is considering a significant restructuring of the European Union’s diplomatic apparatus that could transfer some responsibilities from the European External Action Service to departments operating directly under the Commission.
The proposal is intended to improve the efficiency and coherence of the EU’s foreign policy while accelerating its response to international crises. France and Germany reportedly support a comprehensive review of the current institutional structure.
Created in 2010, the European External Action Service operates as the EU’s diplomatic corps. It manages the bloc’s diplomatic delegations abroad, assists the EU’s foreign policy chief and coordinates policy between European institutions and member states.
Under the proposed reform, some responsibilities connected to trade, foreign assistance, digital regulation and other areas falling within the Commission’s authority could be reassigned to its specialised departments. The diplomatic service would continue to oversee areas such as security, military missions, peacekeeping operations and traditional diplomatic engagement.
Supporters of the proposal believe that dividing related foreign-policy responsibilities between different institutions can delay decisions and create administrative duplication. Consolidating selected functions under the Commission could produce clearer lines of authority and allow the EU to respond more quickly to rapidly developing events.
The review comes as Europe confronts a complicated international environment shaped by the war in Ukraine, geopolitical competition, instability in the Middle East, economic tensions and uncertainty surrounding its relations with major global powers.
These challenges have increased pressure on the EU to act as a unified geopolitical actor rather than as a collection of institutions and national governments pursuing partially overlapping policies. Critics frequently argue that the bloc’s requirement for consensus and its fragmented foreign-policy structure make its response slower than that of individual states.
The restructuring would not amount to the complete dismantling of the External Action Service or its full incorporation into the Commission. Instead, officials are examining whether specific functions could be redistributed while preserving an independent diplomatic and security role for the service.
France and Germany are also reported to support giving EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas a more prominent coordinating position under the revised structure. A stronger central role could improve communication between the Commission, the diplomatic service and national governments.
However, any major institutional change is likely to face political and legal complications. EU member states traditionally guard their control over foreign policy, and governments may resist reforms that transfer additional influence to the European Commission.
Questions are also expected over staff, funding, diplomatic representation and the division of authority between European institutions. Officials would need to ensure that the restructuring does not disrupt ongoing missions or weaken the EU’s network of delegations around the world.
The proposals remain at an early stage and no final model has been approved. EU leaders are expected to discuss the matter during future meetings, while some reforms could be linked to negotiations over the bloc’s 2028–2034 budget.
If implemented, the restructuring would represent one of the most consequential changes to the EU’s diplomatic machinery since the External Action Service was established, reflecting growing demands for faster decisions and a more unified European presence in global affairs. Financial Times
