Blak challenges ‘Mafia-style’ Italian job at agriculture DG

Date: 05/12/02

By Martin Banks

THE European Commission's choice of deputy director-general for its agriculture directorate is being challenged by an MEP, who claims that the man appointed lacks necessary qualifications for the job.

Fabrizio Barbaso took up a similar role, as deputy director for markets, in October 2000. However, he was forced to stand down in July after the European Court of First Instance ruled that he did not possess sufficient experience in agricultural market issues.

He subsequently applied for the new position and got the job, starting two weeks ago.

However, Freddy Blak, the veteran Danish MEP, argues that the two roles are virtually identical. For instance, Barbaso will still have responsibility over markets.

'How can the Commission justify re-nominating the same person to deputy DG when, according to the court, he is not competent in his area of responsibility?,' he asked in a letter to the Commission.

Blak, a member of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left group, added: 'This appointment represents a complete disrespect for the very rules that Romano Prodi [Commission president] himself set out at the start of his term, namely, that all Commission nominations should be on the basis of qualifications and not nationality.

'It looks to me like Mafia-style methods have been employed to insist that Barbaso gets the job, even though the Court of

First Instance ruled he did not possess the necessary qualifications. I can only hope that it's a coincidence that this man is the same nationality as the Commission president.'

A spokesman for Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler dismissed Blak's comments, saying there was 'nothing whatsoever' untoward in the appointment.

Gregor Kreuzhuber said: 'It is true the court annulled his original appointment on the grounds he didn't have the necessary experience. However, the newly-reorganised post was re-advertised and it was considered that Barbaso met the required criteria for it. I would point out that, legally, his new post is not the same as his old one. Yes, it includes responsibility for markets but this one covers other duties too.

'Barbaso also gained experience while he was in the original post.'

The European Commission's choice of deputy director-general for its agriculture directorate is being challenged by MEP Freddy Blak, who claims that the man appointed lacks necessary qualifications for the job.