Fight for treasured EU portfolios heats up (News Feature)

By Nicholas Rigillo Nov 25, 2009, 14:06 GMT

Brussels - Jose Manuel Barroso vowed to create a 'strong' team Wednesday as European Union heavyweights vying for the bloc's most treasured portfolios piled pressure on the head of the European Commission.

'I am pleased to have received nominations from all member states. Now it is my job to allocate the right portfolios to the right people,' Barroso said as he presented the other 26 commissioners who will form part of his new executive.

While commissioners are chosen by national governments, it is up to Barroso to assign individual portfolios.

And while they are not supposed to defend national interests while in Brussels, governments are eager to have their commissioners selected for the most prestigious and influential portfolios.

France, for instance, is desperately trying to obtain the internal market portfolio for Michel Barnier in a bid to counter what Paris sees as rampant 'Anglo-Saxon' capitalism in Brussels.

According to Jean Quatremer, the respected Brussels correspondent of French daily Liberation, 'there is no doubt' that Barnier will become EU Internal Market Commissioner.

Rumours about a secret deal between London and Paris involving Barnier abound in Brussels.

But candidates from Spain and Finland are also thought to be in the running for a post which also oversees financial markets and is currently held by Ireland's Charlie McCreevy.

Germany, meanwhile, would like to retain the industry portfolio for its new commissioner, Guenther H Oettinger.

But with Poland fielding a strong candidate, economist Janusz Lewandowski, Germany may have to settle for a beefed-up energy portfolio instead, experts say.

Until now, Spain controlled two of the most important posts in Brussels: the economic and monetary affairs portfolio, with Joaquin Almunia; and the foreign policy berth, with Javier Solana.

Next week, Solana will give way to Britain's Catherine Ashton, a former trade commissioner who EU leaders appointed as their new foreign policy supremo under the incoming Lisbon Treaty.

Almunia, meanwhile, is being tipped for the influential competition portfolio, now held by the Netherland's 'Steelie' Neelie Kroes, who would in turn be directed to the telecommunication post.

   'She will get a position that deals with the future of Europe and with the new technological future,' Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said this week.

And while there is little doubt that Connie Hedegaard, Denmark's climate and energy minister, will be entrusted with a newly-created climate action portfolio, the race for the enlargement portfolio is thought to involve a number of candidates from Eastern Europe.

The composition of the incoming 27-strong commission reflects the political balance of power in Europe, with 12 conservatives, eight liberals, three unaffiliated and only four left-wingers.

Apart from the team leader, 13 other commissioners are incumbents.

Barroso has vowed to put together 'a strong commission team to the European Parliament', while admitting to being subjected to intense 'pressure' from national governments.

The Portuguese could announce his new team as soon as next Wednesday, when the Lisbon Treaty officially comes into force. But apart from Ashton and Barroso, the new commissioners will not take office until January at the earliest, since they must first be vetted by the European Parliament.

Individual hearings are expected to start on January 11.