Barroso pleit voor een sterke Europese Commissie tijdens zitting EP (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - José Manuel Durao Barroso has pledged to lead a strong and independent European Commission if MEPs give him the nod of approval next week.

Emerging after eleven and half hours of hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday by six political groups in the parliament, a confident Mr Barroso said he would not succumb to pressure to allocate big portfolios to big countries.

"The nomination of the commissioner is a joint responsibility of the member states and the president designate but afterwards the choice of portfolios is my responsibility", he declared.

His words come after speculation that Germany and France had backed his nomination for the top Brussels job - after their favoured candidate was turned down - on the proviso that they get the best portfolios in the next commission.

Referring obliquely to Berlin and the fact that enlargement Commissioner Günter Verheugen is being pushed to get a big economic profile in November, the former Portuguese prime minister said:

"I know that some member states, because some have already approached me, do insist on one specific name, but I will discuss that - that's negotiations".

"After all I will be working with the commissioners for five years. It's very important to have the collegiality of the team, to have a true team spirit so I am not in a position to accept a name just because a head of government thinks it's the best name".

Distancing himself

Mr Barroso was also keen to establish some distance between himself and the conservative EPP party which had insisted the next commission president be someone from their political ranks.

"The various groups in the parliament cannot expect me to agree with them on all issues all of the time", he said adding later "I'm not a candidate of one party".

During the hearings with the political groups, he repeatedly asked for "strong backing" from the parliament so he could say "no" to some member states if necessary.

However, he refused to say what constituted a strong backing.

"I would like the powers of the Commission president to be based on the widest democratic mandate possible" said Mr Barroso but added a little later "I will be ready to work even if I don't get that strong backing".

To get the job, a simple majority of the 732 MEPs must vote for him next Thursday (22 July).