Germany seeks to reform EU foreign policy service led by Kallas

Germany believes the European Union's foreign policy is too weak because responsibility for it is divided among several institutions. Berlin wants to reform the EU's External Action Service, led by the bloc's high representative for foreign affairs, Kaja Kallas, though it remains unclear whether the plan would reduce or actually strengthen her role.

EU foreign policy decisions are made by member states in the Council of the EU, but implementation often depends on the European Commission. This is why the powers of the External Action Service and its head are fairly limited. Amanda Paul, an expert at the EPC think tank, explained that the Commission and the External Action Service split foreign policy tools between them — several economic instruments, including sanctions policy and external aid, sit with the Commission, while Kallas mainly oversees diplomacy and EU delegations worldwide.

As a result, EU foreign policy is not always consistent. Kallas herself acknowledged this, citing the example of Russia's shadow fleet — some states register shadow fleet vessels under their flags while simultaneously receiving EU development aid.

Unclear direction

Brussels has been discussing reform of the External Action Service for several months. France and Germany have circulated proposal documents, but even seasoned Brussels journalists find it hard to grasp what each side actually wants. Journalist Eddy Wax said the initiative appears to come more from Germany, which is reportedly considering placing the service back under the Commission — similar to the arrangement before 2011 and the Lisbon Treaty.

This has sparked debate over whether the reform would actually strengthen or diminish Kallas's role. Wax argued that subordinating the service to the Commission would effectively amount to a reduction, while Paul suggested the goal might instead be to give Kallas or her successor a stronger coordinating role for the sake of clarity.

Although France and Germany both want a more assertive foreign policy, their views often diverge, and other EU states have shown little enthusiasm for the reform plan, meaning the debate could gradually fade by autumn.