Barroso sets out agenda for second EU term

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso today sent a new job application to Euro-MPs – hoping to silence his critics and win a clear mandate for a second five-year term in office.

Mr Barroso, the centre-right former Portuguese prime minister, already has the unanimous support of all 27 EU government leaders, but centre-left MEPs have so far successfully blocked his confirmation by the European Parliament.

The problem is they cannot produce an alternative candidate likely to win enough backing, and now Mr Barroso is bidding to sway them with a new set of “political guidelines”.

The dispute is being blamed on leading centre-left MEPs desperate to flex their political muscles after a trouncing in June’s euro-elections.

Today Mr Barroso promised a “transformational” agenda, if he is confirmed in office for another term.

His latest dossier, submitted to the President of the European Parliament, promises that the Commission under Mr Barroso will work for a successful exit from the financial crisis, tackle climate change and advance a “people’s Europe”.

His supporters immediately hailed the document as the right recipe for curing Europe’s ills, while his opponents condemned it as the same old rhetoric.

President Barroso himself said: “Europe is facing stark choices in today’s interdependent world. Either we work together to rise to the challenges, or we condemn ourselves to irrelevance.”

He went on: “I will redouble my efforts to make an ambitious Europe happen. A Europe that puts people at the heart of the policy agenda and projects European values and interests in the world. A Europe that nurtures new sources of growth and drives forward smart regulation of sound markets that work for people. A Europe of freedom and solidarity.”

He added: “I want to work closely with the Parliament for a prosperous, secure and sustainable Europe, which builds on the strengths of the enlarged EU’s internal market, the euro and our European model of society.”

The leader of the largest political bloc in the Parliament, Joseph Daul, of the centre-right European People’s Party, said his group was behind Mr Barroso’s re-appointment – but he could not rule out rebel voting in a ballot due to be held in Strasbourg in a fortnight.

He said it was crucial to have an early vote, and not delay confirmation any further – because the EU is heading towards a crucial second Irish referendum vote on the Lisbon Treaty in early October.

But the centre-left is still likely to push for a delay in settling Mr Barroso’s future until after the Irish vote.

One Commission official said: “If they are so opposed to Mr Barroso, let them put forward a rival candidate. Otherwise, perhaps they should accept the democratic unanimous decision of all 27 European government leaders – including those on the centre-left – to endorse Mr Barroso for another five years.”