EU autumn agenda
18 September: Germany's Bundesrat (upper house) to adopt law on implementation of the Lisbon treaty
27 September: General elections in Germany and Portugal
2 October: Irish referendum on the Lisbon treaty
4 October: General election in Greece
29-30 October: EU leaders scheduled to agree on nominations for president of the European Council and high representative for foreign and security policy
31 October: Mandate of the current Commission expires
November: Hearings in the European Parliament for nominated commissioners
õ December: Plenary vote on the new Commission
õ 1 January 2010: Target date for entry into force of the Lisbon treaty
European Voice
Thursday 17 September 2009
16 September 2009: 'Europe party'
In his acceptance speech, Mr Barroso said that as head of the Commission "my party is going to be Europe".
"Anyone who wants to come on board for this exciting journey, that is the construction of a united Europe, it is with them that I would like to build the necessary consensus to strengthen the European project," he told MEPs.
He now faces the task of assembling a new team of 26 other commissioners, who will take office on 1 January. But these appointments cannot begin until Irish voters give their verdict on the Lisbon Treaty in a second referendum on 2 October. See the BBC coverage
"Anyone who wants to come on board for this exciting journey, that is the construction of a united Europe, it is with them that I would like to build the necessary consensus to strengthen the European project," he told MEPs.
He now faces the task of assembling a new team of 26 other commissioners, who will take office on 1 January. But these appointments cannot begin until Irish voters give their verdict on the Lisbon Treaty in a second referendum on 2 October. See the BBC coverage
The Right Plans?
Plans for posts
The next set of European commissioners is set to include one focused on tackling climate change, under plans unveiled yesterday by José Manuel Barroso (...) He presented plans for three new commissioners - one for fundamental rights and justice, who would protect human rights; one for internal affairs and immigration, to help define a common EU immigration policy; and another for climate action, who would oversee the bloc's fight against global warming.
Joshua Chaffin, FT reports
The next set of European commissioners is set to include one focused on tackling climate change, under plans unveiled yesterday by José Manuel Barroso (...) He presented plans for three new commissioners - one for fundamental rights and justice, who would protect human rights; one for internal affairs and immigration, to help define a common EU immigration policy; and another for climate action, who would oversee the bloc's fight against global warming.
Joshua Chaffin, FT reports
Sunday 13 September 2009
Why Barroso deserves a second chance
He is a more effective president than his two immediate predecessors, Romano Prodi and Jacques Santer. It helps that he is a skilled communicator in six languages. Of course, there are other people who could do the job very well. One of those is Pascal Lamy, a former commissioner and aide to Delors, who now heads the World Trade Organisation. Lamy tempers his commitment to European integration with a steely pragmatism and is very tough. But he is a socialist. Given that so few heads of government are centre-left, and given that the socialists were decimated in the European elections, Lamy has no chance of the job. The next president needs the approval of the European council and of the parliament, and of those who stand a credible chance of winning their support, Barroso is the most committed to the kind of openness that Europe needs.
Click here to read the full The Guardian article.
Click here to read the full The Guardian article.
BARROSO IS BACK - with a plan for the next five years
Click here to read Euractiv's analysis of José Manuel Barroso's five-year plan published on September 3.
Sunday 12 July 2009
Backing Barroso
What the EU needs during the current economic crisis, and in the vital debate on a post-Kyoto settlement to tackle global warming, is strong leadership from a Commission president who is not afraid of being unpopular – even with the big member states. Mr Barroso must show that he will be more independent in a second term. In exchange, the parliament should give him its clear endorsement in September. Any further hesitation would be unlikely to produce a better candidate. It would just be a demonstration of pointless institutional squabbling.
Read the full FT article here
Read the full FT article here
Friday 10 July 2009
From Cecilia Malmström's blog
The 27 Member States have now formally decided to nominate José Manuel Barroso for a second term as president of the European Commission. The “written procedure” used ran out just an hour ago, and resulted in a unanimous vote in favour of Mr. Barroso.
The next step is now the approval by the European Parliament, which will hopefully take place during the September session in Strasbourg.
I am pleased that all Member States have now formally agreed on the nomination of the Commission president, as it will ensure continuity of the Commission’s important work during the autumn on climate change, the economic crisis etc. Following Parliament’s vote in September, the president will also have a clear mandate to prepare the appointment of a new college after the referendum in Ireland.
Visit the Minister's blog by clicking here
The next step is now the approval by the European Parliament, which will hopefully take place during the September session in Strasbourg.
I am pleased that all Member States have now formally agreed on the nomination of the Commission president, as it will ensure continuity of the Commission’s important work during the autumn on climate change, the economic crisis etc. Following Parliament’s vote in September, the president will also have a clear mandate to prepare the appointment of a new college after the referendum in Ireland.
Visit the Minister's blog by clicking here
Thursday 2 July 2009
Reinfeldt calls for clarity over the leadership of the Commission
Speaking at the launch of Sweden's presidency of the EU in Stockholm yesterday, Frederik Reinfeldt, the Swedish prime minister, called for clarity over the leadership of the Commission. “This is a challenging presidency with the financial crisis, the economic recession and the climate change conference. We need European leadership,” he said. (...)
Reinfeldt pointed out that EU leaders had unanimously backed Barroso for a second term at their summit on 18-19 June and that they had urged the Parliament to vote in July.
Read the full European Voice article here
Reinfeldt pointed out that EU leaders had unanimously backed Barroso for a second term at their summit on 18-19 June and that they had urged the Parliament to vote in July.
Read the full European Voice article here
Friday 26 June 2009
The nonsense campaign against Mr Barroso
According to the current rule book of the EU, aka the Nice Treaty, it is for the national leaders to nominate a new president of the commission. Their nominee must then be approved by a simple majority of members voting in the European Parliament. That, pretty much, is that.
Arguably, national leaders are going beyond what they strictly have to do: after unanimously agreeing to offer Mr Barroso a second term, they have instructed the current and future rotating presidency countries (the Czechs and Swedes) to sound out the heads of the big parliamentary groups and ask what would happen if the Barroso re-appointment is put to MEPs in July, when they gather in Strasbourg for their first plenary session since the recent Euro-elections.
Um, where is the outrage? Over to Mr Schultz, the fact that national governments, meeting as the European Council:
“wish to run this past a meeting of the European Parliament leaders at the end of June, followed by a vote in July, rather than to have a full and official consultation of the Parliament, is wholly unacceptable. (...)
"My group objects to the indecent haste with which the Council is trying to rush through Mr. Barroso's appointment and we will certainly vote against him".
But people who dislike Mr Barroso, and there are a lot of them in the Brussels bubble, think it will be harder for him to obtain an absolute majority than a simple majority, so they want to take the decision under Lisbon rules. They argue that it is wrong to use the Nice rules, because Lisbon is coming soon and will affect the number of commissioners who will serve under the new president. So they would either like to delay the decision for months, or “anticipate” its ratification and vote as if Lisbon were in force.
I have no doubt that my children would like to “anticipate” Christmas and have their presents in October. But it ain’t happening in my house, and it is not clear to me why it should happen in the European Parliament.
Read the Economist blog
Arguably, national leaders are going beyond what they strictly have to do: after unanimously agreeing to offer Mr Barroso a second term, they have instructed the current and future rotating presidency countries (the Czechs and Swedes) to sound out the heads of the big parliamentary groups and ask what would happen if the Barroso re-appointment is put to MEPs in July, when they gather in Strasbourg for their first plenary session since the recent Euro-elections.
Um, where is the outrage? Over to Mr Schultz, the fact that national governments, meeting as the European Council:
“wish to run this past a meeting of the European Parliament leaders at the end of June, followed by a vote in July, rather than to have a full and official consultation of the Parliament, is wholly unacceptable. (...)
"My group objects to the indecent haste with which the Council is trying to rush through Mr. Barroso's appointment and we will certainly vote against him".
But people who dislike Mr Barroso, and there are a lot of them in the Brussels bubble, think it will be harder for him to obtain an absolute majority than a simple majority, so they want to take the decision under Lisbon rules. They argue that it is wrong to use the Nice rules, because Lisbon is coming soon and will affect the number of commissioners who will serve under the new president. So they would either like to delay the decision for months, or “anticipate” its ratification and vote as if Lisbon were in force.
I have no doubt that my children would like to “anticipate” Christmas and have their presents in October. But it ain’t happening in my house, and it is not clear to me why it should happen in the European Parliament.
Read the Economist blog
Thursday 25 June 2009
A timeline for the appointment of a new Commission
– 18-19 June: EU leaders take political decision to nominate Barroso for a second term.
– 23 June: European People's Party (EPP) and Socialist groups appoint leaders.
– 25 June: Meeting of European Parliament political group leaders with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer in Stockholm.
– If discussions in Stockholm indicate Barroso will win backing of most MEPs in a vote on 15 July, EU leaders will take a formal decision to nominate Barroso (possibly by written procedure).
– 30 June: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe MEPs appoint a new leader.
– 7 July: EPP decision on candidate for president of European Parliament.
– 15 July: Barroso appears before the European Parliament. MEPs vote to approve nomination by a simple majority.
– End September-early October: Ireland holds referendum on Lisbon treaty.
– Once Ireland, Poland and the Czech Republic complete ratification, a decision can be taken by EU leaders to keep the size of the Commission at 27, ie, one per member state. EU leaders nominate list of commissioners.
– 29-30 October: EU summit to decide on nomination of commissioners, president of the European Council, high representative and deputy secretary-general of the Council.
– November: Hearings for designated commissioners.
– November/December: European Parliament plenary vote on European Commission and president (by absolute majority), followed by appointment by EU leaders (by qualified majority).
– January 2010. Entry into force of Lisbon treaty.(European Voice)
– 23 June: European People's Party (EPP) and Socialist groups appoint leaders.
– 25 June: Meeting of European Parliament political group leaders with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer in Stockholm.
– If discussions in Stockholm indicate Barroso will win backing of most MEPs in a vote on 15 July, EU leaders will take a formal decision to nominate Barroso (possibly by written procedure).
– 30 June: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe MEPs appoint a new leader.
– 7 July: EPP decision on candidate for president of European Parliament.
– 15 July: Barroso appears before the European Parliament. MEPs vote to approve nomination by a simple majority.
– End September-early October: Ireland holds referendum on Lisbon treaty.
– Once Ireland, Poland and the Czech Republic complete ratification, a decision can be taken by EU leaders to keep the size of the Commission at 27, ie, one per member state. EU leaders nominate list of commissioners.
– 29-30 October: EU summit to decide on nomination of commissioners, president of the European Council, high representative and deputy secretary-general of the Council.
– November: Hearings for designated commissioners.
– November/December: European Parliament plenary vote on European Commission and president (by absolute majority), followed by appointment by EU leaders (by qualified majority).
– January 2010. Entry into force of Lisbon treaty.(European Voice)
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