O’Sullivan: Next Commission must focus on policies

By Dana Spinant

Date: 29/01/04

THE European Commission's top official has called on Romano Prodi's successor to focus more on policies than on internal organization.

Speaking to European Voice, David O'Sullivan, secretary-general of the Commission, said that the current president had "changed a great deal" about the inner functioning of the institution.

"That was the mood of the new Commission, but also of the member states and of the European Parliament" after the resignation en masse of the previous administration led by Jacques Santer in 1999, he said.

"We achieved a lot under Prodi, the structure we have now is quite good," O'Sullivan claimed, adding that it was "good for the house if there was not too much reorganization".

He hopes the next team will work on developing "more synergy between departments", admitting that "here the next Commission will need an extra push".

His former boss Jacques Santer reckons that will require major changes in the way the College of commissioners functions, especially as there will be 25 commissioners instead of the present 20.

"The Commission should be organized around a strong core of vice-presidents," he told this paper.

"The next Commission president should think of the big axes of the institution's work and create poles of commissioners, around each vice-president."

The Luxembourger suggests a vice-president in charge of external relations, to coordinate the work of the development and external trade commissioners; one on economic and monetary union, to oversee economic policy and industrial policy, for instance; and one for the internal market, who would supervise energy, transport and enterprise.

Santer believes four or five such poles could be created, but he insists the future president "must identify the policies, the political axes of his mandate and organize the Commission accordingly".

In addition, he says directors-general should be given more responsibility over the daily running of policies, leaving the College of commissioners to focus on the political issues.

However, Santer insists that it will not be necessary to further divide the Commission's existing directorate-generals (DGs) to create as many departments as commissioners.

"I can understand that every commissioner will want to have his or her own DG, but I don't think it is necessary. We must not swell up the administration immeasurably."

O'Sullivan insists that no decision will be taken on the organization of the Commission before the new president arrives. "He is the only one to decide."

But one Commission source told this paper that new DGs are likely to be created. "The thinking in the house is that a new department such as industrial policy, financial services or Space could be created," the official said.

In addition, the current agriculture and fisheries, plus energy and transport DGs, could each be split in two, he added.

O'Sullivan dismisses this as "corridor speculation".

John Palmer, of the European Policy Centre, says a core task for the future Commission would be to achieve greater cooperation between the institution's departments.

Palmer stresses the next Commission chief would have to "comport himself more as a prime minister" as the future College needs stronger leadership.

The European Commission's Secretary-General, David O'Sullivan, says that the new Commission from November 2004 must concentrate more on policies than internal organisation.