To be sure, the EU recognized its need for a coherent strategy, and attempted to resolve it by establishing the European External Action Service and the position of High Representative for Foreign Affairs. But the EEAS ended up in a turf war with the European Commission, and outgoing High Representative Catherine Ashton did little to ease the tension, owing to her unwillingness to involve herself in intra-EU disagreements.
平心而论，欧盟认识到需要统一的战略，也试图通过设立欧洲对外行动署（European External Action Service，EEAS）和对外事务高级代表解决这一问题。但EEAS最终在与欧盟委员会的扯皮中无疾而终，而即将卸任的高级代表凯瑟琳·阿什顿（Catherine Ashton）也没能缓和这一紧张局面，因为她自己也不愿卷入欧盟内部的纠纷中。很能说明问题的是阿什顿只在用充分共识的领域取得了进展，如伊朗核计划谈判和科索沃与塞尔维亚的契约。