EU ambassadors appointments

Commenting on the appointment of 28 EU ambassadors, announced today by EU high representative Catherine Ashton, Franziska Brantner, foreign affairs co-spokesperson of the Greens/EFA group, said:

"Today's announcement confirms our fears that the EU's External Action Service would become an old boys' club. Only 6 of the 28 top jobs have been allocated to women. This distorted recruitment policy is an insult to 250million European women. Not only has Ms Ashton reneged on her promise to make gender balance one of her top priorities, she is also ignoring legally binding EU provisions to ensure gender balance in rectruitments the European External Action Service [1]. The European Parliament cannot accept this and the Greens will be seeking to ensure that MEPs do not approve any budget for a cigar-smoking gentleman's club."

Ulrike Lunacek, foreign affairs co-spokesperson of the Greens/EFA group, added:

"It was a Green initiative to make it a legal obligation for Ms Ashton to ensure gender balance in the European External Action Service. We will insist that these provisions are respected. Ms Ashton should keep in mind that Parliament has not approved a single cent for the European External Action Service yet."

[1] Article 6 (6) of the Decision establishing the organisation and functioning of the European External Action Service reads: "Recruitment to the EEAS shall be based on merit whilst ensuring adequate geographical and gender balance. [...]"