EU Commission expresses support for bloc’s foreign policy chief amid reports of discontent by member states

The EU Commission said Friday it supports the bloc’s foreign policy chief amid reports of discontent among some member states.

"The European External Action Service is one of the institutions that implements the policies of the European Union and, therefore, obviously, our President (Ursula von der Leyen) supports it, as well as the work it does," European chief spokesperson Paula Pinho said at a daily press briefing.

The Financial Times reported Thursday that EU member states are discussing a possible overhaul of the bloc's diplomatic service, including proposals that could reduce the powers of EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and redistribute responsibilities to other institutions.

According to the report, France and Germany are among the countries considering reforms to the European External Action Service (EEAS), the EU's diplomatic arm, amid concerns it has struggled to respond effectively to major geopolitical challenges.