Parliament to approve Barroso, but doubts remain over Kroes

By Martin Banks

Date: 10/11/04

José Manuel Barroso, the incoming president of the European Commission, will win the approval of the European Parliament when he presents his revamped team of commissioners to MEPs next week.

But the former Portuguese prime minister has been warned that doubts remain over at least one member of his team and next week's parliamentary hearings should not be seen as a mere "rubber stamp".

Barroso announced at the European Council last Thursday that Italy's foreign minister Franco Frattini would replace Rocco Buttiglione in charge of justice and civil liberties. Latvian Andris Piebalgs replaces Ingrida Udre and will take the energy post. László Kovács, the Hungarian nominee will be switched from the energy portfolio to taxation.

Each of the three commissioners-designate must first undergo hearings before MEPs in Strasbourg next week.

On Monday evening, Frattini will appear before the committee on civil liberties, justice and home affairs while Piebalgs, who was in line to be Udre's chef de cabinet, will be questioned for three hours by members of the industry, research and energy committee.

On Tuesday morning, Frattini will appear for a 90-minute hearing before the legal affairs committee while Kovács will be quizzed by the economic and monetary affairs committee.

Evaluation letters will be drawn up by each committee and sent to the Parliament's president, Josep Borrell. MEPs are to vote on Barroso's new-look Commission on 18 November. If approved, the executive is expected to take up office on 22 November.

The new Commission had been due to take up office on 1 November but Barroso withdrew his original line-up on 27 October after MEPs threatened to veto the entire Commission if Buttiglione stayed.

The Parliament's three biggest political groups, including the Socialists who led the revolt, are now expected to vote in favour of Barroso's new team.

While welcoming the changes, Socialist group leader Martin Schulz said he was "concerned" that Neelie Kroes, the Dutch commissioner-designate for competition, had not been moved to another post. Kroes was targeted by the Left for her career on the boards of more than 30 companies and her role as a lobbyist for Lockheed-Martin.

Schulz accused the Dutch government of "inflexibility" in failing to cooperate with Barroso reallocating Kroes but said this need not stand in the way of a "yes" vote for his team.

"We shall, however, be keeping Kroes under close scrutiny," said Schulz.

Graham Watson, leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, said: "This is a better Commission. It should have a bright future.

"With Buttiglione gone, this Commission has lost its weakest link but Parliament must not rush the work of subjecting it to proper scrutiny. The hearings will be rigorous. There is no question of a rubber stamp."

His comments were echoed by Hans-Gert Poettering, leader of the largest group, the European People's Party (EPP-ED), who said: "The hearings must be seriously prepared and carried out as in the case of the other designated commissioners."

Some MEPs are angry that, despite critical comments on six nominees, only two have been dropped altogether.

The Greens group accused Barroso of "folding" under pressure from national governments and making only "minimal" changes. Its joint leader, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, said: "We regret that no solution has been presented for Kroes.

"We reiterate our view that her clear conflict of interests will be a burden to the execution of her duties."

The Greens are expected to join forces with the Eurosceptic Independence and Democracy group in voting against Barroso's new team but, providing the EPP-ED, Socialists and Liberals vote as expected, that would not affect the overall outcome.

A spokesman for Barroso admitted the delay had caused some practical problems but said it was hoped his new team would be in a position to take up office on 22 November.

Each commissioner-designate has to be sworn in at the European Court but this could take place after they have taken up office.

The old Commission of Romano Prodi has remained in a caretaker role, subject to legal advice that it should limit its decisions to "urgent affairs".

Preview of the hearings at the European Parliament of the two European Commissioners-designate proposed by incoming Commission President José Manuel Barroso after he had to reshuffle his team in order to win the Parliament's consent. The hearings of Franco Frattini (Justice and Home Affairs) and Andris Piebalgs (Energy) took place on 15 and 16 November 2004, along with that of László Kovács who has been shifted to the taxation portfolio.

• Primary Source

European Parliament: Hearings: Hearings of the Commissioners Designate (2004) http://europarl.europa.eu/hearings/commission/2004_comm/default_en.htm

---