Who is ‘Mr/Mrs CFSP’?

CFSP is an abbreviation for the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy. ‘Mr or Mrs CFSP’ is a popular abbreviation for the person chosen to be the highest representative and spokesperson for the EU’s foreign and security policy. 

But what’s in a name? This person is also known as the Secretary-General in the context of the Council’s Secretariat-General and as the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy. The task of the High Representative is to assist the Council in issues relating to the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, namely by contributing to the drafting, preparation and implementation of political decisions, and, as required and at the request of the Presidency, conducting political dialogue with third countries.

The current ‘Mr CFSP’ is Javier Solana from Spain . Mr Solana was appointed as the first High Representative with effect from 18 October 1999, and was re-elected by the Council as Secretary-General of the Council and High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy with effect from 18 October 2004.

Cooperation between the EU Member States within the CFSP is intergovernmental. The Foreign ministers of the Member States deal with CFSP issues in the Council configuration known as General Affairs and External Relations.