European External Action Service foundational text Treaty of Lisbon
History
The EEAS was first included in the original European Constitution, a single EU external relations department was seen as necessary to support the proposed single HR post; as Charles Grant, Director of the Centre for European Reform, says it would '...be like having a conductor without an orchestra—or rather, a conductor trying to conduct two separate orchestras at the same time.' Following the rejection of the Constitution, the changes were revived in the Treaty of Lisbon which came into force in 2009.
The mandate for the External Action Service is laid down under article 13a-III of the Treaty of Lisbon (TEU Article 27), and states the following:
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