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Here's One I Made Earlier
That EU scheme to create a foreign diplomatic service just won't go away. While we've reported previously on how the absence of a constitution has not prevented Eurocrats from creating an EU diplomatic corps, the strategy was given a greater boost yesterday when the European Commission called on governments to share its diplomatic and consular services.
The Telegraph reports that EU commission president José Manuel Barroso "urged the 25 EU nations to pool their overseas resources and in the process grant a greater foreign policy role to his commission." Barroso says the commission's proposals aren't his first choice - he'd prefer the "EU external action service" and "EU foreign minister" the constitution was supposed to provide. However, the rejection of the EU constitution means that in the EU's typical style, the plans continue though under a different name. Presumably once the constitution or parts of it are revived, Barroso will unveil a "ready-made" and fully functioning diplomatic service able to take on the duties listed in the treaty.
Britain is said to be "sympathetic" to the idea of countries pooling diplomatic resources under a European banner, but is reportedly "vigilant" concerning fears that Barroso's diplomatic corps will be involved in a power grab.
