Recordaantal vrouwen in nieuwe Commissie (en)

EUObSERVER / BRUSSELS - The team making up the European Commission for the next five years will contain a record number of women commissioners.

Of the in total 25 commissioners, eight of them (or one-third) will be women.

Incoming president José Manuel Durao Barroso, who set having eight women commissioners as a goal, welcomed the development.

In a statement he said he was "particularly pleased" that his goal has been met.

"The nominations result from excellent cooperation between the 24 heads of

state and government", says the statement which goes on say that the nominees for Commissioner form "a strong and balanced team".

Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark and Austria are all sending women commissioners to Brussels.

When the Romano Prodi commission started, five (or one quarter) of the 20 commissioners were women.

They came from Luxembourg, Greece, Spain, Sweden and Germany.