Commission Commissioned!

Author: Andy Carling
9 February 2010 - Issue : 872

In the first of two main votes in Strasbourg, the Framework Initiative was approved by a large majority. In the second, The Commission was adopted with 488 votes in favour, 137 against and 72 abstentions

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said he wanted to take relations with the new European Parliament to a new level and that he had discussions to revise the framework agreement. He was deeply satisfied that they had founded principles to ensure co-operation. He pledged to use the framework to form an excellent base. He hoped the European Council would join in efforts to improve working relations.

Jerzy Buzek, European Parliament President thanked him for his "very positive approach" to the negotiations, to loud applause from the hemicycle. Buzek, pointed out that there were no legislation initiatives but he appreciated the Question Times with the President and Commissioners. Thinking of subsidiarity he also appreciated the links with national parliaments.

Ahead of the vote to accept the new Commission, Barroso addressed the chamber, telling MEPs that, "This is a time for boldness, This is a time to show our citizens that we care. The entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty will make a real difference in our ability to serve their interest." He described the vote as "crucially important to the EU's democratic legitimacy and the European project as a whole".

With the long struggle to get a new Commission in place, there was little appetite to prolong the process, but the Greens were scathing, claiming that, "The EPP, Socialists and Liberals are apparently unable or unwilling to make a coherent political judgement of the incoming Barroso II Commission. This is the end of politics. Parliament's three biggest groups seem to be only interested in their backroom deals and sharing out the Commission posts between themselves."

MEPs Rebecca Harms and Daniel Cohn-Bendit tabled a motion saying that the group "Deplores the fact that Mr Barroso has already weakened the position of individual Commissioners-designate by implementing a policy of divide and rule i.e. by defining and allocating portfolios without proper consideration for their abilities and affinities, and has even moved Commissioners away from portfolios in which, to date, they have demonstrated their competence; points out that his negligence has led, inter alia, to the resignation of one of the nominees".

They also targeted European Council High Representative for Foreign Affairs Baroness Catherine Ashton, saying that the group "Expresses its disappointment in Lady Ashton, who, during her hearing, did not demonstrate a clear sense of vision, plans of her own, or the leadership needed to shape European foreign and security policy over the next five years; expresses its willingness, nevertheless, to support her role in the newly-created position of High Representative/Vice-President of the Commission should she face undue interference from the Council."

The Greens/EFA's Parliamentary Group speaker, Cohn-Bendit said that The Greens were voting against, however they would offer their ideas, imagination and determination for Europe. He accused Barroso of playing a game by saying that they were against Europe. He promised to support the President in his battles with the member states and urged the institutions to keep people informed and said that if he wanted to go further on Climate Change and financial reform or protecting Europe, they would support him.

The GUE/NGL European Parliamentary Group also tabled a motion saying that the group "Is concerned at the lack of knowledge, commitment and vision shown by some Commissioners-designate with regard to their proposed portfolios". MEP Nigel Farage, EFD, was drowned out in applause when he said that people would be told, one day, that Communism fell and Europe was led into freedom with the EU. He then said the story continued and politicians resorted to lies and deceit and put in place Lisbon and handed unlimited power to 27 people to build a new state and ignore the people and recreated the evil system that people had previously lived in. He then carried on and on and on despite many attempts to quiet him.

MEP Timothy Kirkhope, on behalf of the ECR Group, also placed a motion that expressed their frustrations with the selection process, noting their "Regrets that the ‘take it or leave it’ approach that the Parliament is offered when considering the Commission leaves little scope for any meaningful verdict on the qualifications and performance of individual Commissioners." They also added that, "that many nominees gave inadequate performances, replied with evasive answers to simple questions or played to the gallery by offering EU action in areas that do not feature on the agenda published by President Barroso before his confirmation." They also noted their "concerns about several cases of unprecedented overlap or unclear allocation of responsibilities between different portfolios".

This led them to a position where, "too many unanswered questions leave us unable to register the same degree of confidence in the Commission that we have been able to note in respect of its President."

MEP Kirkhope, ECR, said the Commission should consist of the best people Europe could offer, but although Barroso was the right leader, and he said every single state should have sent him the best, but some hadn't. He said Barroso had done the best with what he was given, but there were some weak links and asked for an annual assessment, by parliament, of the Commission. He said the group was united in their decision to abstain, to some laughter from the chamber.

However, the main groups were supportive. Joseph Daul MEP, President of the EPP Parliament Group said in the debate before the vote that, "We support a Commission which reflects the results of the 2009 European Elections and in which my political family, the EPP, is the most influential force." He added that, "We support a Commission with which we share the main policy guidelines, the analysis for existing problems and remedies to solve these problems. A Commission which, led by José Manuel Barroso and experienced Commissioners, is well equipped to tackle the problems of Europeans." He said that by working together we could reach a polirtical Europe.

The S&D Parliamentary Group were more critical, as President Martin Schulz described the Commission as "Abbot Barroso and his 26 Trappists who had taken a vow of silence", but he said that they didn't take decisions lightly, and said, with two possibilities ahead, splitting the vote on left - right lines wasn't an option. but Europe was built on compromise. He said he would have more fun if we had a row, but he asked what we could achieve and he wanted the EC to have real political force in the world. He said Lady Ashton shouldn't be abused by a French MEP Bruno Gollnisch, who denied the holocaust. He asked for a mechanism that looked at actual results and wanted the legislative program to be binding on the Commission. He also wanted their group, which could bring qualified majority voting. He had got what they were looking for, so on balance they decided to give the Commissioners their support. Europa needed to be a social Europe or it would fail, he stated.

MEP Guy Verhofstadt, President of the ALDE Group, said that his group would support them, saying they were behaving responsibly as the next five years were critical for the Union, but he also said their support was conditional as they expected the new EC to be the engine of the Union, to be bolder and at the lead of a strategy that can enforce member states to do what they have to so and they said there needed to be a strong social pillar alongside the economic one. He also said the same was true in other major policy areas. Europe couldn't play a role on the global scale it had ambitions for, unless it was stronger and more effective. A strong Commission was indispensable and that Lisbon was a new tool and he said he wanted more from a High Representative than they had seen so far and encouraged Lady Ashton to be bolder.

All three motions against adopting the Commission lost heavily. The conservative motion was defeated by 609 votes to 52, with 33 abstentions.

The Commission was adopted with 488 votes in favour, 137 against and 72 abstentions