ABSTRACT
This chapter traces the development of the idea on a European external action service (EEAS) and its beginning implementation since the Treaty of Lisbon entered into force. The idea of a diplomatic service came up during the discussions in the European Convention. While the European External Representative was called foreign minister in the Constitutional Treaty and subsequently High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in the Lisbon Treaty, the name EEAS survived the whole process. As is well known, the Lisbon Treaty retained most of the institutional changes proposed by the Constitutional Treaty. The Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) Mandate adopted by the European Council in June 2007 mostly dealt with the location of the provisions on 'external action' in the Reform Treaty as the new treaty was initially called.
