Brussels, 24/11/2009 (Agence Europe) - Commission President José Manuel Barroso now has the complete list of 25 commissioner candidates proposed by member states, which should allow him to announce how portfolios are to be distributed within the next few days. On Tuesday 24 November, the last three member states announced their choice. The Netherlands confirms the current competition commissioner, Neelie Kroes, who, according to the Dutch press, may deal with the future of trade. Denmark has designated its minister for climate and energy, Connie Hedegaard, bringing to nine the number of women in the Barroso II team (the current Commission has eight women in it). Finally, Malta has suggested the current minister for social affairs, John Dalli.
The complete list of 25 candidates put forward by member states (in the knowledge that José Manuel Barroso, President, and Catherine Ashton of Britian, who is Vice-President and High Representative, have already been designated) are: - Günther Öttinger (Germany), Johannes Hahn (Austria), Karel de Gucht (Belgium), Rumiania Jeleva (Bulgaria), Androulla Vassiliou (Cyprus), Connie Hedegaard (Denmark), Joaquin Almunia (Spain), Siim Kallas (Estonia), Olli Rehn (Finland), Michel Barnier (France), Maria Damanaki (Greece), Laszlo Andor (Hungary), Maire Geoghean-Quinn (Ireland), Antonio Tajani (Italy), Andris Piebalgs (Latvia), Vygaudas Usackas (Lithuania), Viviane Reding (Luxembourg), John Dalli (Malta), Neelie Kroes (Netherlands), Janusz Lewandowski (Poland), Stefan Füle (Czech Republic), Dacian Ciolos (Romania), Maros Sefcovic (Slovakia), Janez Potocnik (Slovenia) and Cecilia Malmström (Sweden). (H.B./transl.jl)