Focus on Barroso now as he pieces together new commission

EUROPEAN Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso begins putting together his new commission this week – but he will have to leave at least one country out.

Even though the Irish voted to ratify the Lisbon Treaty, the old Nice Treaty rules still apply because the Czech and Polish presidents have so far refused to sign the new document.

A solution being put forward by the Swedish presidency is that 26 countries – one less than the total – will have a Commissioner and the country left out will have the important EU foreign relations job as Javier Solana resigns later this month.

If and when the Lisbon Treaty comes into force, that person would then also become a Commissioner, combining both roles as envisaged under Lisbon.

Leaders of the 27 member states will make the final decision on the Commission in less than three weeks time at a summit in Brussels, following intense work and lobbying around the European capital on the various jobs.

Already Mr Barroso has nominees from ten countries – seven of them commissioners that are being re-appointed. This week the Swedes will nominate their choice and most other countries are expected to follow.

A government spokesperson said he expected the Taoiseach would turn his attention to the issue soon.

There will be intense lobbying for the commissioners’ portfolios too, with France, Germany and Britain wanting the important internal market, competition and trade jobs.

The high-profile jobs of President of the EU and the beefed-up post of high representative responsible for foreign relations will be created when the Lisbon Treaty comes into force.

Names like ex-British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Dutch PM Jan Peter Balkenenda and the French Prime Minister Francois Fillion have been thrown into the ring.

All of these are centre-right politicians allied to the European People’s Party in the European Parliament, like Mr Barroso and the Parliament President.

Political allegiances have to be taken into account and the Socialists, the second largest political grouping, have said one of their members should get one of the top posts, and they favour the foreign relations job.

The only real contender for the job so far, the Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt, is also EPP however.

The name of Mary Robinson, former Irish President and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, could as a well-respected name globally bridge the political divide. The Socialists could also support her as a former member of the Labour party.

The Commission and EU president and the foreign relations chief will have to be able to work together closely so the personalities will have to be taken into account.

On the other hand the jobs have yet to be defined, as the Lisbon Treaty did not do so in detail.

Some countries are pushing to have the roles more clearly defined before considering nominees for the jobs.

But first the Lisbon Treaty still has two hurdles to cross before it can come into force, although after the resounding Irish vote politicians and others are confident they will be overcome.

Both the Czech and the Polish presidents, who have refused to sign off the treaty despite their parliaments’ ratification, are due to come under intense domestic and international pressure over the coming weeks.

The Czech caretaker Prime Minister Jan Fischer is coming to Brussels on Wednesday to talk to the Swedish EU presidency holder, Fredrick Reinfeldt and Mr Barroso.

The Czech Constitutional court is due to consider the constitutionally of the treaty after some Czech senators referred it to them last week. Some hope they will report back by the end of October.

President Vaclav Klaus has refused to meet the Swedish Europe Minister Cecilia Malmstrom on Thursday.

At first he said he would not sign the treaty until the Irish voted but now he must wait for the Court to report back. Czech law says he must sign but there is no deadline.

A spokesperson for the Polish president Lech Kaczynski said yesterday he would sign, but could not say when.