Europe News
EU's Barroso offers concessions to win parliament backing
Sep 3, 2009, 13:22 GMT
Brussels - European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso promised parliamentarians a raft of measures on employment and exiting the financial crisis Thursday, in a bid to secure re- nomination to his post.
Barroso already has the backing of all 27-member states, and is unopposed for a second five-year term, but must seek endorsement from the parliament in Brussels before his mandate runs out next month.
After taking a battering in June's European elections, socialist and Green MEPs have demanded concessions before agreeing to confirm the centre-right Barroso in the post.
'Our first priority is unambiguously employment,' Barroso said on Thursday, as he submitted his agenda for a second term.
Parliament votes on September 16 on whether to confirm Barroso in the job. In 2004, for the first time, the parliament rejected a prospective panel of EU commissioners, over a controversy over the conservative anti-abortion and anti-gay views of proposed Italian commissioner Rocco Buttiglione.
Barroso, and his Irish internal market commissioner, Charlie McCreevy, have faced criticisms from the parliament for being too free-market oriented, and for failing to react quick enough to the global financial crisis.
In unusually explicit language, Barroso called for interest rates in the EU to remain low. 'It is too early for the incentives and support measures for the economy and financial sectors to be rolled back,' he said.
COMMENT
blog comments powered by DisqusLatest Headlines in Europe
- 1. Pope in Easter message calls for peace and religious tolerance
- 2. Magnificent Messi leads Barcelona to ninth straight win
- 3. Pope leads Easter vigil, calls for "true enlightenment"
- 4. Barcelona increase pressure on Real with romp in Zaragoza
- 5. Pope Benedict XVI leads Easter Vigil
Older Talkback
