Akkoord over nieuwe samenstelling Europese Commissie (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - EU member states have agreed to a new line up of Commissioners in a bid to bring the European Union out of its current institutional crisis.

"We're back on track", said a smiling José Manuel Durao Barroso, the incoming Commission President.

The breakthrough came after Italy finally made up its mind to send foreign minister Franco Frattini to Brussels to be Rome's Commissioner.

He will fill the gap left by Rocco Buttiglione - the first Italian nominee who withdrew after causing uproar among MEPs with his comments on homosexuality and the role of women in society.

Mr Frattini will be in charge of the high profile and politically important justice and home affairs portfolio.

The recently nominated Latvian commissioner, Andris Piebalgs, will take care of the energy portfolio freeing up the Hungarian Laszlo Kovacs to be moved from energy to take care of tax.

Mr Kovacs came under severe criticism by MEPs for being professionally "incompetent" after his hearing before parliament.

In all, only the Latvian and the Italian Commissioners were changed - despite parliament having criticised five Commissioners.

Responding to this Mr Barroso said he had worked hard to find a "balanced solution".

In defence

"Last week I heard the parliament's message" he said referring to the fact that a likely rejection of his team by MEPs had forced him to withdraw the proposed line-up at the last minute.

He defended his decision to keep the Dutch Commissioner Neelie Kroes as Competition Commissioner despite allegations by MEPs of conflicts of interests.

"There are no reasons to change Mrs Kroes" he said going on to call her an excellent candidate.

However, he implied that he did not have much choice in the matter, either with Mrs Kroes or Mr Kovacs, as he said that both governments had reaffirmed them as their candidates.

Trying to play down the way he had handled his team, the division of portfolios and the way he approached parliament, the former Portuguese prime minister said "to form a Commission is almost a blind date _ please be fair".

Timetable

Mr Barroso said he would like to get the situation cleared up "as soon as possible" - the new Commission was supposed to come into power on 1 November.

"I think we should try to have this done during the next plenary session [beginning 15 November], said Mr Barroso indicating that the postponed vote by MEPs could take place the week after next.

For his part, Josep Borrell, the European Parliament President, said the parliament could initiate a "fast track procedure".

This would mean that hearings for the Commissioners could start next week but he insisted that this would not mean that parliament would lower its standards.

The leaders of the political groups in the parliament will meet Mr Barroso on Friday (5 November) to give an initial reaction to the new-look team.

The Socialist group, which formed the backbone of the Parliament's revolt against the Commission, has already praised Mr Barroso's "enlighted and courageous steps".