need suggestion

[mank]

We have few applications(WAR files) that remotely connect to middle
layer on some other server. The middle layer is a set of EJBs. Now we
are supposed to have common services which access these middle layer
EJBs remotely and return appropriate objects. These common services
will be used by different web applications in the front-end and reside
on the same clustered server on which the web applications are there.

Web applications--->common services(?)--->middle layer(EJBs)
--->Backend

Now the question is What should these common services be

1. EJBs - good solution but performance drawback because middle layer
is already EJBs and web has to go thru 2 layers of EJBs
2. Normal java classes but then they have to be included in every web
applications and then changing these will result in all applications
being changed and rebuilt.
3. Web services - Is it a good option here, because web application
and common services are on the same server.

Any other possible solution? Please give your suggestions and
comments.

Thanks