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What is the role of the EU High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR) according to the Lisbon Treaty?

April 26, 2017affairs EU foreign high HR representative security policy Union

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What is the role of the EU High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR) according to the Lisbon Treaty?

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The High Representative ‘shall conduct the Union’s common foreign and security policy’, ‘shall preside over the Foreign Affairs Council’ and ‘shall be one of the Vice-Presidents of the Commission’ (Article 18 TEU). It replaced Javier Solana (former High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy) and stepped in as a vice-president of the Commission in charge of external relations. The first incumbent is Baroness Catherine Ashton from the United Kingdom. The European External Action Service (EEAS) is the newly created body headed by the HR for the purpose of coordinating the diplomatic services of the member states which is also staffed by ‘officials from relevant departments of the General Secretariat of the Council and of the Commission’ (Article 27(3) TEU). In terms of EU development and humanitarian aid policies, the High Representative does not replace the respective Commissioners and does not have formal competences in this area.