On 18 June 2010, the Commission forwarded to the Council draft amending budget (DAB) No 6 to the general budget for 2010.
The objective was to provide the European External Action Service (EEAS) with financial and human resources necessary for its establishment as soon as possible in 2010.
It covered the creation of a new Section X in the budget 2010 with the appropriate budgetary structure and establishment plan. The latter would include posts transferred from other institutions (411 posts transferred from Section II - European Council and Council - and 1114 posts transferred from Section III - Commission), as well as the creation of 100 new AD posts (20 in the EEAS headquarters and 80 in delegations). In addition, DAB No 6/2010 included the recruitment of 60 local agents in delegations and 10 contract agents in headquarters. The net financial impact of DAB No 6/2010, including the related operating expenditure, was EUR 9.52 million which were entered in the Commission's section of the budget.
In its explanatory memorandum the Council agreed on the Commission proposal accompanied by the following Council statement: "The establishment of the EEAS should be guided by the principle of cost-efficiency aiming towards budget neutrality. To this end, transitional arrangements and gradual build-up of capacity will have to be used. Unnecessary duplication of tasks, functions and resources with other structures should be avoided. All opportunities for rationalisation should be used. In order to ensure appropriate presence of staff coming from Member States in the EEAS, in addition to existing posts coming from the Commission and the GSC [General Secretariat of the Council], posts could be made available through the transformation of temporary posts in the Commission and the Council Secretariat as well as through filling of posts freed up through retirement and other means. In addition, a limited number of additional posts for Member States temporary agents will be necessary which have to be financed within the framework of the current financial perspectives. The Council calls upon the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, in coming annual budgetary procedures, to present budgetary proposals which are in alignment with this objective".
On 13 September 2010, the Council adopted its position on draft amending budget No 6 of the European Union for the financial year 2010 as set out in the technical annex to the explanatory memorandum (see Council Doc 13475/10 ADD 1).