High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Emblem of the EEAS
Incumbent Kaja Kallas since 1 December 2024
European External Action Service European Commission
Abbreviation	HR HR/VP
Member of	European Commission
Reports to	President of the European Commission
Appointer	The European Council with the agreement of the President of the European Commission
Term length	5 years
Formation	1999 (CFSP) 2009 (FASP)
First holder	Jürgen Trumpf (CFSP) Catherine Ashton (FASP)
Deputy	Presidency foreign minister
Salary	€288,877
Website	Council, Commission

The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy is the main diplomat for the European Union (EU). This person represents the EU on the world stage and coordinates its foreign and security policies. Because the High Representative is also a Vice-President of the European Commission, the job is often shortened to HR/VP.

The position is like being the EU's chief foreign minister. It was created to give the EU a single, clear voice when dealing with other countries and global issues. The current High Representative is Kaja Kallas from Estonia.

The High Representative leads the European External Action Service (EEAS), which is the EU's diplomatic team, similar to a foreign ministry. They also lead meetings with the foreign ministers of all the EU member countries.

What the High Representative Does

The High Representative has one of the most important jobs in the European Union. They handle the EU's relationships with countries outside the Union.

Here are some of their main tasks:

• Speaking for the EU: When EU member countries agree on a foreign policy issue, the High Representative speaks for the entire Union. They might negotiate treaties or represent the EU at international meetings, like at the United Nations.
• Leading the EU's Diplomatic Team: The High Representative is in charge of the European External Action Service (EEAS). This service has thousands of staff and diplomats working in EU offices (called delegations) all over the world.
• Coordinating Security and Defense: They help coordinate the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy. This involves working on peacekeeping missions and responding to international crises.
• Chairing Meetings: They lead the Foreign Affairs Council, where the foreign ministers from all 27 EU countries meet to make decisions on foreign policy.
• Serving as Vice-President: As a Vice-President of the European Commission, they make sure that all of the EU's external actions—like trade, aid, and foreign policy—work together smoothly.

History of the Position

The job of High Representative was first created by the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1999. At first, the role was smaller. The goal was to have one person who could represent the EU's shared foreign policy goals.

The Treaty of Lisbon in 2009 made the position much more powerful. It combined two jobs into one: the old High Representative and the European Commissioner for External Relations. This new, stronger role was created to answer the famous question once asked by American diplomat Henry Kissinger: "Who do I call if I want to speak to Europe?" Now, there is a single phone number.

The job of External Relations Commissioner (held by Benita Ferrero Waldner, left) was merged with the High Representative role under the Treaty of Lisbon.

The Lisbon Treaty also created the European External Action Service (EEAS) to support the High Representative. This gave the HR/VP their own diplomatic service to help carry out the EU's foreign policy around the world.

How the High Representative is Chosen

The High Representative is appointed by the European Council, which is made up of the leaders of the EU member states. They must be approved by a qualified majority vote.

The President of the European Commission must also agree with the choice. After being nominated, the candidate must be questioned by the European Parliament. The Parliament then votes to approve the entire European Commission, including the High Representative. The term of office is five years.

List of High Representatives

No.	Portrait	Name (Born-Died)	Term			Party				Commission	Member state
			Took office	Left office	Duration	European		National
As High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy
–		Jürgen Trumpf (1931–2023)	1 May 1999	18 October 1999	170 days		Independent		Independent	N/A	Germany
–		Javier Solana (born 1942)	18 October 1999	1 December 2009	10 years, 44 days		PES		PSOE	N/A	Spain
As High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
1		Catherine Ashton (born 1956)	1 December 2009	1 November 2014	4 years, 335 days		PES		Labour	Barroso II	United Kingdom
2		Federica Mogherini (born 1973)	1 November 2014	30 November 2019	5 years, 29 days		PES		PD	Juncker	Italy
3		Josep Borrell (born 1947)	1 December 2019	30 November 2024	4 years, 365 days		PES		PSOE	Von der Leyen I	Spain
4		Kaja Kallas (born 1977)	1 December 2024	Incumbent	219 days		RE		REF	Von der Leyen II	Estonia

Javier Solana (1999–2009)

Javier Solana at a security conference in 1999.

Javier Solana of Spain was the first person to hold the High Representative position for a full term. Before this, he was the Secretary General of NATO. During his ten years in the role, he helped shape the EU's foreign policy.

He played a key role in negotiations with countries in the Middle East and Latin America. He also helped create the European Security Strategy, a document that outlined the main security threats to the EU, such as terrorism.

Catherine Ashton (2009–2014)

Ashton with Japan's Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada in 2009.

Catherine Ashton from the United Kingdom became the first High Representative after the Treaty of Lisbon gave the position more power. Her main task was to set up the new European External Action Service (EEAS).

She chaired the international talks with Iran that led to an important agreement about its nuclear program in 2013. She also played a big part in helping to normalize relations between Serbia and Kosovo.

Federica Mogherini (2014–2019)

Mogherini with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in 2016.

Federica Mogherini, a former foreign minister of Italy, continued the work of her predecessors. She is best known for her role in finalizing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the international agreement on Iran's nuclear program, in 2015.

She and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif jointly announced the historic deal to the world. During her time, she also focused on security issues in Europe's neighboring regions.

Josep Borrell (2019–2024)

Borrell meeting with the President of Mali, Bah N'Daw, in 2021.

Josep Borrell of Spain took office in 2019. He led the EU's response to several major world events. In 2020, he launched the "Team Europe" package, which provided over €20 billion to help partner countries deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Borrell was also the EU's main voice during the Russo-Ukrainian War, coordinating the EU's support for Ukraine. He was also very active in diplomatic efforts related to the conflict in the Middle East.

Kaja Kallas (2024–present)

Kallas at a G7 Ministerial Meeting in Munich.

Kaja Kallas, the former Prime Minister of Estonia, became the High Representative on December 1, 2024. On her first day, she visited Ukraine to show the EU's strong support.

She has also been involved in discussions about the future relationship between the EU and Georgia, encouraging the country to continue on its path toward joining the Union.

See also

• Ambassadors of the European Union
• Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)
• Council of the European Union
• European External Action Service (EEAS)
• Foreign relations of the European Union