No room for complacency in push for reform, says Kinnock

Date: 05/12/02

By Martin Banks

THE European Commission will not allow room for complacency in its quest to carry out internal reform, according to Vice-President Neil Kinnock.

The Welshman admits a 'great deal' of modernisation is still needed to complete the shake-up, aimed at making the executive more efficient and transforming its sometimes poor reputation outside Brussels.

However, Kinnock says he is confident that the reforms will be completed 'long before' the Prodi Commission reaches the end of its term in 2004.

'The advances we've made have been significant but this should act as a spur for us to make further progress. There can be no room for complacency,' he said.

The objective is to ensure that the executive does not face such a major upheaval in future: 'We must ensure the Commission never again falls behind other public administrations,' he added.

The main thrust of Kinnock's reforms has been to make staffing structures more flexible. 'Not enough has been invested in helping staff meet the rapid changes facing the Commission in the past,' said the former leader of Britain's Labour Party.

Instead, there had been a presumption that other qualities, such as ability and academic background, would suffice. 'Those qualities of talent and initiative are invaluable but are not enough in themselves,' said the commissioner.

Kinnock claimed that the reputation the Commission had in some quarters for incompetence and financial unaccountability was mostly unfair.

And, in a barbed reference to whistleblower Marta Andreasen, the former accounting officer who suggested the Commission's bookkeeping system was vulnerable to fraud, Kinnock said he would not allow critics to deflect him from his mission.

'Frustrations and criticisms are normal and will not be ignored or overridden - but we should not allow them to deflect us from the overall reform process.'

Kinnock made his comments during a conference hosted by Patronat Catala Pro Europa, which represents several Catalan organisations.

The European Commission will not allow room for complacency in its quest to carry out internal reform, according to Vice-President Neil Kinnock.