mr president this report tries to put our minds at rest about the service but to my mind it does exactly the opposite
it claims on the one hand that the service complements member state diplomacy and does not call it into question
however the rest of the report in my view flatly contradicts that assurance
paragraph four says that the service that means its powers cannot be circumscribed or predetermined in advance
paragraph eight d suggests that delegations which are part of the service might take over consular services from member states
it is clear that this service is intended not in the short term but in the long term to take over and replace diplomatic representation of member states perhaps in the end even the vetoes of the united kingdom and france on the un security council
when you hear an eu body giving an assurance that they will not do such and such you have a pretty good clue as to what they are up to
with apologies to mr shakespeare methinks the report doth protest too much
who or what will actually exercise any control over this body
not i think the council
that has to act unanimously
if it cannot decide the service will simply be carrying on with its own agenda
what about the parliament
no that is limited to consultation
this body will conduct foreign policy over the heads of member states with no effective control by member states or the european parliament
national governments will be reduced to the status of a parish council
