During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on the European External Action Service.

Strasbourg

GUALTIERI, Roberto (S&D, IT)

LUNACEK, Ulrike (Greens/EFA, AT)

joint meeting

TANNOCK, Timothy Charles Ayrton (ECR, UK)

HAUTALA, Heidi (Greens/EFA, FI)

Budgetary control (T2)

LAMBSDORFF, Alexander Graf (ALDE, DE)

European External Action Service

ZAHRADIL, Jan (ECR, CZ)

SWOBODA, Hannes (S&D, AT)

KACZMAREK, Filip (EPP, PL)

MEYER, Willy (GUE/NGL, ES)

European External Action Service: extracts from joint debate

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Filip KACZMAREK (EPP, PL), We wanted to make sure that there were better financial controls and on which the Development Commissioner could look after.

SOUNDBITE (Czech), Jan ZAHRADIL (ECR, CZ), This Parliamentary scrutiny should be strengthened even so that the position of National Parliament is taken into consideration and would be in line with the Foreign and the Security issues, because the EAS will be in charge of these issues.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Roberto GUALTIERI (S&amp;D, IT), Providing Europe with a sufficient service to support the efficiency of our external work will be the result of this and at the same time it is very closely linked to the Community method from the COM and it is going to be covered by total democratic control exercised by the European Parliament.

SOUNDBITE (German), Ulrike LUNACEK (Greens/EFA, AT), We want a balanced ratio of men and women in posts and I hope Lady Ashton that you commit yourself to the principle of equality of opportunity of men and women as in article 157 of the Treaties and I hope you will implement it when it comes choosing your staff, including at delegation chief level.

SOUNDBITE (German), Ulrike LUNACEK (Greens/EFA, AT), We are mitigated in our enthusiasm by the fact that there were no small crisis preventions and crisis management and there is no consular service yet for EU citizens benefit. We want a stronger structure for Civilian crisis management and for peace building, the compromise is not yet there for all that we would like to see, but with good will and ambition Lady Ashton that may come later.

SOUNDBITE (German), Hannes SWOBODA (S&amp;D, AT), It is not about some sort of duplicating diplomatic services within the EU that is not true, we are going to be strengthening the EU diplomatic services. Some countries in fact are going to withdrawing certain diplomatic representations and at the same time we are going actually to be strengthen the EU diplomatic service and that means that we are giving Cathy Ashton and her staff a real chance to succeed.

SOUNDBITE (German), Alexander Graf LAMBSDORFF (ALDE, DE), And 2ndly, we have the political accountability here which is going to raise the level of the debate about foreign policy. The stronger Human rights structure that my group is very keen on, we are happy to see it.

SOUNDBITE (Finnish), Heidi HAUTALA (Greens/EFA, FI), I'm very glad that the central administration will have a clear Unit which is responsible for taking on board Human Rights in all areas of External action. And we should also take care that this is a high level group so that it can fore fill this task.

SOUNDBITE (English), Charles TANNOCK (ECR, UK), I welcome the EAS strategic role over the development and aid policy and the modest increase in powers required for this EP, such as confirmation hearings for senior appointees and budgetary and staff regulation powers which are clear in the treaties.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Willy MEYER (GUE/NGL, ES), The Military structures of the EU as well as the Civil and military ones are part and parcel of the service, which means that the institutions then are linked with the EU defence Agency, the crisis planning body as well and we shouldn't forget the intelligence services as well. And we think it is a mistake really to link this to the EAS.