Italy's Federica Mogherini appointed as new EU High Representative - Hoofdinhoud

Italy's Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini has been appointed as the next EU High Representative at an EU leaders meeting in Brussels.

Italy's Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini has been appointed as the next EU High Representative at an EU leaders meeting in Brussels.

Her role will be to coordinate and develop the EU's common foreign and security policy and chair the monthly meeting of EU Foreign Ministers. She will also be Vice-President of the European Commission and will ensure the consistency of the Union's external action. The European External Action Service (EEAS) supports the work of the High Representative.

At a press conference following her nomination Minister Mogherini spoke about the international situation: "the challenges are huge... all around Europe we have crises - on European soil, in Ukraine, and starting from Iraq and Syria, going to Libya".

Current EU High Representative Catherine Ashton has congratulated her successor. Ashton said “I would like to congratulate Federica Mogherini on her nomination as the European Union's next High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice President of the Commission. I wish her every success in taking forward the EU's external action over the next five years at the head of the European External Action Service."

Mrs Mogherini’s appointment came at the same time as Polish Prime Minster Donald Tusk was elected to be European Council President.

Background on the appointment of the EU High Representative

The European Council appoints by qualified majority, and with the agreement of the President of the Commission, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (Article 18.1 TEU). His or her term of office is five years, in line with that of the other Commissioners.

The High Representative, the Commission President and the other members of the Commission are subject, as a body, to a vote of consent by the European Parliament. On the basis of this consent, the whole Commission will finally be appointed by the European Council, acting by a qualified majority. EU leaders appointed Catherine Ashton as High Representative in November 2009. She is due to step down when the term of the current Commission ends on 31 October 2014.