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| European Union High Representative | |
|---|---|
| Post | High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy |
| Incumbentsince | 1 December 2019 |
| Residence | Belliard Residence |
| Formation | 1 December 2009 |
| Inaugural | Catherine Ashton |
| Seat | Brussels |
| Department | European External Action Service |
European Union High Representative
The High Representative serves as the principal coordinator and spokesperson for the European Union's external action, combining diplomatic, policy-making, and institutional roles at the intersection of the European Commission, the European Council, and the Council of the European Union. The office links the Common Foreign and Security Policy framework to the Union's external instruments, represents the Union in international fora such as the United Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and the G7, and heads the European External Action Service.
The High Representative acts as the Union's chief diplomat and foreign policy coordinator between bodies including the European Commission, the European Council, the Council of the European Union, and the European Parliament. The office represents the Union at multilateral institutions such as the United Nations General Assembly, the United Nations Security Council, the World Trade Organization, and during summits like the G7 summit and the G20 summit. The holder directs the European External Action Service and coordinates with specialized agencies including the European Defence Agency, the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe on external policies. In crisis response the role interfaces with actors like NATO, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the World Health Organization, and the International Monetary Fund.
The High Representative is appointed by the European Council by qualified majority, following consultation with the European Parliament, and in practice the selection is negotiated among heads of state and government such as those from Germany, France, Italy, and Poland. The holder serves a term concurrent with the European Commission's mandate and can be dismissed or replaced by the European Council; formal approval procedures involve the European Parliament's vote and confirmation hearings. Appointment has political precedents involving figures like Jose Manuel Barroso, Herman Van Rompuy, Angela Merkel, and Emmanuel Macron in intergovernmental negotiations.
The High Representative is a Vice-President of the European Commission and chairs the Foreign Affairs Council of the Council of the European Union, linking supranational and intergovernmental arenas such as interactions with the European Court of Justice, the European Central Bank, and the Committee of the Regions. The office coordinates policy with member state ministries represented in the Council of the European Union and cooperates with external services like the United States Department of State, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (France), and the German Federal Foreign Office. The HR works closely with chief executives and legislative leaders including the President of the European Commission, the President of the European Council, and the President of the European Parliament.
The High Representative proposes foreign policy actions within instruments such as the European Neighbourhood Policy, the Stabilisation and Association Process, and the Common Security and Defence Policy. The office manages diplomatic missions under the European External Action Service, accredits heads of EU delegations to countries including Ukraine, Russia, China, United States, Japan, India, and represents the Union in treaty negotiations such as the Treaty of Lisbon-era agreements and trade or cooperation accords with blocs like the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the African Union. Responsibilities include sanctions coordination with the Council of the European Union, crisis management missions under the Common Security and Defence Policy such as civilian missions and military operations, and cooperation on non-proliferation with bodies including the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The office emerged from treaty reforms culminating in the Treaty of Lisbon (2007) which merged the roles of the High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy and the European Commissioner for External Relations to create a single post in 2009. Predecessors include the post-Lisbon inaugural holder Catherine Ashton and earlier figures such as Javier Solana, who served as High Representative for CFSP before the merger. Evolution involved institutional innovations like the creation of the European External Action Service and expanded mandates following crises including the Russo-Georgian War (2008), the Arab Spring, the Ukraine crisis (2014–present), and the Syrian civil war. Treaty debates involved actors such as Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, José Manuel Barroso, and resulted from negotiations at intergovernmental conferences and summitry among EU member states.
Notable holders include Catherine Ashton (inaugural HR under the Lisbon Treaty), Federica Mogherini (emphasis on neighbourhood policy and Iran nuclear deal negotiations), and the earlier High Representative for CFSP Javier Solana (noted for post-Cold War diplomacy). Other prominent individuals involved in selection or policy directions include Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Vladimir Putin, Barack Obama, David Cameron, and Donald Tusk who influenced geopolitics interacting with the office. Officeholders have engaged with international leaders such as Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Mohammed bin Salman.
The office has faced criticism over perceived democratic deficit voiced by the European Parliament, concerns about coherence during crises like the Libyan civil war (2011), and disputes over competence relative to national foreign ministries in capitals such as Berlin, Paris, Rome, and Warsaw. Debates involve transparency issues raised by institutions including the European Ombudsman and political parties like the European People's Party and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. Controversies have arisen over sanction policies toward Russia, responses to the Syrian conflict, and the balance between EU external action and NATO coordination, with scrutiny from think tanks such as the European Council on Foreign Relations and media outlets like The Economist and Financial Times.