Prodi ontmoet kandidaat-eurocommissarissen uit nieuwe lidstaten (en)

European Commission President Romano Prodi will today (4 February) begin official consultations with the candidates for future commissioners from the new member states.

His first meeting will be with Polish minister for Europe, Danuta Hübner.

Issues to be touched on at the consultation include problems in European policy as well as organising work for new commissioners as they take up their posts from May this year.

The ten new members of the European Commission will be given the post of "assistant-commissioners" until the end of October - where they will shadow current commissioners.

There is speculation in the Polish media that Ms Hübner, who took part in the accession talks and was government representative in the European Convention on the Future of Europe, could be assigned to work with the commissioner for trade, Pascal Lamy.