Commissioner ‘victory’ in jeopardy

Ireland’s “victory” of ensuring every country had its own commissioner could be scuppered in November when the new body is put together. Instead there could be super-commissioners, and not-so-super-commissioners clustered around them.

The idea is also in a report produced by the think-tank CEPS which included former taoiseach John Bruton. The European and national parliaments should have better oversight, including in national budgets and banking union.

The role of the Commission Secretariat-General — currently run by Catherine Day — should be re-examined and the growing use by member states (the Council) of agreements between them should be limited. It also appears to suggest impact assessments on proposed new rules should not be done by the commission but by independent boards.