Ashton in the WSJE

The Wall Street Journal Europe, July 27. 2010, Opinion, p. 13

'Presenting the New EU Diplomatic Service' by Catherine Ashton

Refeshing to read some truths from an insider that the EU 'can be too slow, too cumbersome and too bureaucratic'. But then again is there such a thing as a perfect organisation?

The vision for the European External Action Service is ambitious: 'to give the EU a stronger voice around the world and greater impact on the ground'. There are some precedents which demonstrate the EU is on the right track, such as various civilian missions and military operation in DR Congo, Eupol Copps in the Palestinian territories and operation 'Atalanta' off the coast of Somalia, to name a few.

As Ashton points out there will be some internal differences of opinion regarding the new structure. But these must be resolved as it is time for the EU to have a 'single political strategy' in foreign policy.