"Forming a Commission is almost like a blind date," says José Manuel Barroso, whose reshuffled team is likely to be approved by MEPs, writes Denis Staunton in Brussels
Mr José Manuel Barroso's announcement last night of his reshuffled Commission team marks the beginning of the end of the crisis that reached its climax in Strasbourg last week. The new line-up is likely to be approved by the European Parliament on November 17th and Mr Barroso's Commission will be able to start work a few days later.
The incoming Commission President kept his promise to MEPs to make as many changes as necessary, but no more than was sufficient to win their approval.
"I have worked hard over recent days to build bridges and find a balanced solution. It was not easy; I was faced with contradictory demands. But I have moved swiftly," he said.
Italy's nomination of its Foreign Minister, Mr Franco Frattini, to replace the hapless Mr Rocco Buttiglione as justice and home affairs commissioner, and Latvia's replacement of the controversial Ms Ingrida Udre with Mr Andris Piebalgs gave Mr Barroso the leeway he needed to rebuild his team.
Hungary was unwilling to withdraw its nominee, Mr Laszlo Kovacs, who was criticised by MEPs for knowing too little about energy, his designated portfolio. Mr Kovacs has agreed to move to taxation and Mr Piebalgs, who has a scientific background, will take over the energy portfolio.
The changes will almost certainly be enough to satisfy a majority of MEPs despite Mr Barroso's decision to leave Ms Neelie Kroes in place as competition commissioner. He insisted last night that Ms Kroes, a former businesswoman, had given adequate assurances that she would face no conflicts of interest during her five-year term and had promised not to engage in any business activity when she leaves office.
"We should now let her be judged not on potential conflicts of interest but on how she actually handles competition questions," he said.
The Parliament's political leaders are today expected to agree a fast-track procedure that will enable Mr Frattini, Mr Kovacs and Mr Piebalgs to undergo fresh hearings next week, so that MEPs can vote on the new Commission in Strasbourg the following week.
A positive vote will bring to an end the political crisis surrounding the new Commission but questions about Mr Barroso's judgment are likely to linger for some time.
Last night the former Portuguese prime minister declined to be drawn on the extent to which he had been the author of his own misfortunes in recent weeks. He suggested, instead, that the system for appointing the Commission was at fault and called for "reflection" on the procedure.
He pointed out that the Commission President had to form a team out of 24 people nominated by national governments, most of whom he had never met, and had to seek the approval of a parliament in which he did not command a majority.
"Forming a Commission is almost like a blind date," he said.
The President of the European Parliament, Mr Josep Borrell, last night described the stand-off between MEPs and the new Commission as a normal part of democracy. He insisted that, far from damaging the EU institutions, it would enhance their standing among the public.
"What has happened will strengthen democracy within the EU, enhance our institutions, generate public interest in the European political debate and ensure that people's basic rights are upheld more effectively," he said.
For his part, Mr Barroso was less concerned with analysing the causes or the meaning of the conflict than with resolving it as quickly as possible and assuming office without delay.
"We are back on track. We need to get down to work quickly. After this period of intense democratic debate, we now owe it to Europe's citizens to meet their concerns head-on," he said.