From competition to fisheries. The reshuffling of senior officials in the European Commission administration (see our bulletin of 25 April, p.14), with, notably, the appointment or move of several directors general, has caused no little stir within the civil service itself. But two decisions have also led to reactions in the press:

- the appointment of Philip Lowe to the head of the directorate general for competition (from September). Part of the British press has stressed that this is the first time in 35 years that a German has lost control (!) of European competition policy, and that it is a Briton who has ended this monopoly. Such an interpretation is inadmissible from a Community point of view and far from correct. To consider that Germany has control of this policy because the director general was German signifies taking no account of the independence of the European civil service and playing down the responsibility of the Commissioner. Neither most of the media nor company bosses make this mistake, they who always attribute the conduct of competition policy to the Commissioners whose responsibility it is, that is to say, since it has been recognised as one of the Commission's priority tasks, Karel van Miert first, then Mario Monti. Both have gained the title of the most powerful man in Europe, and at the same time been variously criticised and blamed for some of their decisions; reactions at times excessive (competition policy is a matter for the College), but closer to the truth than the interpretation by which, from September, the United Kingdom "will control" competition policy.

- the replacement of the Dane Steffen Smidt at the head of the "Fisheries" directorate general. This measure was presented as the consequence of strong criticisms levelled by certain governments at the draft reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), drawn up by Mr Smidt's department. A major Spanish newspaper headlined: "Brussels removes the director general for fisheries, criticised by the sector in Spain", stipulating in its text that Spanish circles accused him of playing in favour of the interests of northern fishing at the expense of that of their own country. Is it necessary to recall, in this case too, that the political responsibility for the proposal is that of Commissioner Fischler (see yesterday's bulletin, p.9).

A coherent policy. The Commission's spokesperson logically denied these dialectical exercises, pointing out that: a) the decisions taken correspond to the policy of mobility announced by Romano Prodi as soon as he took office, and then implemented in a coherent manner; b) this policy provides for, from the fifth year of having occupied a position, the holder being prepared to move; c) as from this year, no director general may retain the same position for more than seven years; d) the nationality of the former holder is not taken into account when appointing their successor. Of course, the Commission will continue to ensure a balance of nationalities within its services, but on the whole, without any job being able to be represented as an "exclusive preserve" for any particular nationality (which used to be the case: agriculture for the French, competition for the German, economy/finance for an Italian, etc.). The priority criteria are merit and specific experience, and an effort will be made for a better gender balance. Regarding the specific remarks over the aforementioned cases, the spokesperson stressed that: i) the current director general for "competition", Alexander Schaub, will be transferred to an equally influential job (director general for the internal market); ii) movements of the aforementioned scale are prepared a long time ahead and cannot be determined by contingent developments, like the postponement of the Commission's proposal on the CFP.

Too talkative a minister. The latest claim was seriously weakened by the (oh so!) inappropriate statement by the Spanish Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Miguel Arias Canete, who declared on television that six Member States (France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and Greece) had "given instructions to their respective Commissioners" to oppose the current draft reform of the CFP and had secured postponement of discussions in Commission until 28 May. The spokesperson logically vigorously reaffirmed that there was no Commissioner who "represents their country", that they had broken all ties with their country of origin and that they receive no instructions, adding that postponement of the debate had as goal to put the finishing touches to the draft, taking account of the remarks of all Commissioners, in view of the collegial decision. The spokesperson observed that Mr. Smidt would remain director general for fisheries until the appointment of his successor, which is not for the immediate future, as the calls for applications will only come at the end of this week (3 May). These explanations are correct. But the unease caused by the statement of the Spanish Minister, President-in-Office of the Fisheries Council, remains.

(F.R.)