545 Natividad Fernández Sola The proposed reform of the european external actions service and its implications for the european union‘s security policy the EEAS into line with the needs of the different policies of the Union, determined efforts are also underway to give greater momentum to the security and defence policy making it effective and credible, and an instrument for the Member States, providing a strong and united representation of the EU in the world27. 2.1. The ambiguous position of the Special Representatives The present structure and composition of the EEAS leaves the Special Representatives in an ambiguous situation, as they currently have very little connection with the EU Delegations in the corresponding countries and with central services. This goes back to the time prior to the existence of the EEAS when the external representation of the EU was in the hands of the Commission, through its Delegations in third countries. Their appointment by the then High Representative was designed to fill a gap facilitating the presence of the EU in places where it was dealing with foreign policy issues, of non-community competence. According to the organisation chart of the service in 2011and the current one for 2013, the Special Representatives report directly to the High Representative, although in the current organisation chart there is a link to the General Vice secretary that did not exist in the first organisation structure. But their total isolation from the civil and military bodies that plan and direct CSDP is maintained. On the other hand, this “isolation” makes the figure of the Special Representatives more acceptable to the Member States, who tend to identify them less with the central EU bodies and regard them as a solution that is “less institutional” or “closer” to their interests. This peculiar situation of the Special Representatives, which tends to be resolved functionally, could be a potential source of duplicities and inconsistencies in the EU’s external actions in conflict areas and areas of strategic importance which, for this very reason, have been assigned a Special Representative. It is also true that their very existence depends on the High Representative who, following the establishment of the EEAS, was not even in favour of maintaining them; this is somewhat surprising given that the Special Representatives provide on the ground information and experience hugely useful for CFSP planning, execution and evaluation and for CSDP missions in particular. Notwithstanding, their task has not always been in harmony with CSDP missions, EU Delegations or national diplomatic representations. EU presence in Afghanistan provides us with a clear example of this lack of coordination of external activity, despite the provision of training to 5000 Afghan police officers. From December 2001 onwards there were several successive Special /Director of the European Spatial Agency on Common Security and Defence Policy, Preparing the December 2013 European Council on Security and Defence, of 15 October 2013. 27 European Commission, Communication “A New Deal for European Defence. Towards a more Competitive and Efficient Defence and Security Sector”, July 2013, COM (2013) 542 final. The Commission Report centres on the defence industry and revindicates its competence for ro regulate and manage it.
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