European Commissioner Antonio Tajani stopped during the European People’s Party Congress in Bonn, Germany last month to talk with New Europe about his new portfolio, Barroso’s new commission, new EU President Herman Van Rompuy, and to defend embattled Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi.

Commissioner Tajani, we have a new European Commission with the Council President. Does this new European Commission have a vision?

Yes, but the new Commission would be a very important Commission because we will work with the new Treaty which gives much power to the Parliament, much more power to Europe. And I think we will have a good solution for an exit strategy, for the crisis, for jobs. I am an optimist. We elected good Commissioners, women and men from 27 countries, a good Chairman, because Mr. Barroso is a very good man; he was president of the last Commission and he will be a good president. But the Commission will be very important for our engagement against climate change, which is very important for a good agreement between industry and environment. This is very important, a good solution, a good agreement to support the coming years competitiveness of our companies

You have the Industry and Entrepreneurship portfolio. Are you happy with this very powerful portfolio? Is it important for Italy to have such a strong portfolio?

It is very important for me. I’m very happy. I will be Vice-President. Industry is a very important portfolio because we will work for an internal market, for a lot of sectors of our industry. We will work, for the first time, for tourism, it’s a new engagement for the Commission. We will work for the Galileo project which is a very important European project
 
Jose Barroso and Herman Van Rompuy, where is the balance between them?

I think there is a good balance because Barroso is very important chairman for the European Commission. Mr. Van Rompuy is a very good man. He is very moderate. He worked well in Belgium for a good agreement between two different communities, the Wallonians and the Flemish. I also think it’s a good idea to have Baroness Ashton as Foreign Affairs Commissioner and Vice-President. She worked very well during her mandate in the Commission for a good agreement, for example with Korea. She is a very good expert. I think in next five years Baroness Ashton will be a very important policy woman in Europe
 
One last question, a bit more on a national level. Why is PM Berlusconi facing such a tough criticism from the left? And what is a secret to his continuing success to be on top all the time?

Italian people like Berlusconi because Italian people know Berlusconi. The Left-Wing press is against Berlusconi and Left-Wing judges are against Berlusconi but Italian people like Berlusconi. Now a vast majority in Italy supports Berlusconi. He is good Prime Minister, good leader of our party, having a lot of important political success during his government: Alitalia problems, Naples, and so on. Everyone has a very good opinion about Berlusconi
                     
Antonio Tajani is outgoing European Commissioner for Transport and has been designated to be Commissioner for  Industry and Entrepreneurship in the new revised Cabinet of the European Commission