Brussels, 16/10/2009 (Agence Europe) - Even when it is managing current affairs, for an indefinite period of time as of 1 November, the “Barroso I” Commission will take legislative initiatives in all areas “where necessary”, the Commission spokesman said on Friday. “Although dealing with current affairs, the Commission will cover everything necessary. This also implies that we shall also make the legislative proposals that have to be made”, Johannes Laitenberger told the press. It will be up to the Commission itself, and above all up to its president, José Manuel Barroso, to judge “what is necessary and what is not”. Will preparation of the Copenhagen conference on climate change be part of these important areas? The spokesman refuses to anticipate areas in which the Commission, in current affairs, could become active at the legislative level. “That will depend on the circumstances. It will be necessary to judge on a case by case basis”, Mr Laitenberger explained, stressing that the Commission will at any rate be “fully represented at the conference in Copenhagen”.
The Commission's mandate expires on 31 October but will remain in place because of the uncertainty surrounding the Lisbon Treaty. The transition from the end of the mandate to current affairs will be “automatic” and will not require a decision on the part of the European Council, the Commission spokesman states. This “exceptional situation” will last until the new Commission (Barroso II) is in place, but Mr Barroso trusts its duration will be “as short as possible”. Mr Laitenberger also said that the process of designating commissioners for the Barroso Commission II had not yet begun.
Mr Barroso has not yet called on member states to put forward “their” commissioners as he does not yet know on what legal base the Commission will be formed (Nice or Lisbon?) and, consequently, how many members it will be made up of. The president has nonetheless called on the capitals to “create the conditions” necessary to ensure that the next team may be swiftly set in place once there is clarity regarding the treaty, Mr Laitenberger said. (H.B./transl.jl)