Why the EU’s diplomatic service needs a structural overhaul

The current framework suffers from a fatal lack of institutional identity. By creating a hybrid entity that relies on the Commission for funding but answers to a fractured Council, the EU has rendered its diplomatic arm unable to coordinate foreign and economic policy effectively. Member states have responded to this weakness by shifting critical debates into smaller, ad-hoc groups or the European Council, effectively bypassing the EEAS entirely. Meanwhile, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has increasingly seized the foreign policy initiative, leaving the High Representative with a title that masks a diminishing sphere of influence.

A radical, yet pragmatic, solution lies in merging the EEAS directly into the European Commission. This move would unify the EU’s economic and diplomatic levers—a vital step in an era where trade and technology are increasingly weaponized. By integrating the service, the EU could reduce bureaucratic duplication and align its resources with its geopolitical ambitions. Member states would retain influence through specialized oversight of security and defense departments, ensuring that core national interests remain protected. Crucially, this reorganization does not require a full-scale treaty overhaul; it could be achieved through amendments to the 2010 EEAS decision. While institutional changes cannot replace political consensus among member states, they would at least provide a functional architecture for a bloc that can no longer afford to be a spectator in its own foreign policy.