Establishing a common diplomacy fot the European Union

The committee adopted the report by Gerardo GALEOTE QUECEDO (EPP/ED, E) on a common Community diplomacy. The rapporteur proposed setting up a College of European Diplomacy as well as an effective 'bridging' system to link the national and Community external services. The committee believed it would be more efficient if the diplomatic services of the Member States and the European Union worked together and therefore suggested that the Commission's external delegations should become delegations of the Community (which enjoys legal personality under international law) and that arrangements be made for combining the diplomatic missions of states which so desire with the Commission delegations. The report also called for the EU to have a coordinated presence in international and regional bodies and fora. In addition, the committee argued that heads of delegations should, before taking up their duties, appear before parliamentary bodies if political circumstances so required. It also wanted rules to be introduced governing relations between the delegations and the High Representative for the CFSP. �