Lords to quiz World Trade Organisation as part of inquiry into the European External Action Service
The House of Lords EU Committee on External Affairs will this week take evidence from Arancha Gonzalez, Chief of Staff at the Office of the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and Gary Quince, EU Special Representative to the African Union and Head of the European External Action Service (EEAS) Delegation to the African Union.
The sessions will form part of the Committee's ongoing inquiry into the EEAS as they seek to identify what impact it has had on EU foreign policy, whether it has been performed well in crisis situations and what impact the European financial crises has had on the service.
With Arancha Gonzalez of the WTO, the Committee will explore how the creation of the EEAS has impacted on the relationship between the WTO and the EU and how that relationship is managed as EU Member States are also themselves members of the WTO.
The Committee will then take evidence from Gary Quince and question him about the work of the EEAS delegation to the African Union in Addis Ababa and how he manages the dual role as EU Special Representative to the African Union and Head of the EEAS Delegation.
The evidence sessions will start at 10:05am on Thursday 10 January in Committee Room 1 of the House of Lords. Ms Gonzalez will appear at 10:05am via video-link from Geneva with Mr Quince giving evidence via video link from Addis Ababa from 11:00am.
The evidence sessions are also open to the public. Journalists wishing to attend should go to Parliament's Cromwell Green Entrance and should allow time for security screening.
