Brussels, 21/10/2002 (Agence Europe) - The European Commissioner for Institutional Affairs, Michel Barnier, spoke in the debate on the distribution of powers in the EU on the occasion of an interview published in Le Figaro on 21 October. Faced with the suggestion of a "board of four of five" in the Union, Mr. Barnier was indignant: "the very idea of a board is fundamentally contrary to the European project as devised since Monnet. Initially, there were three audacious institutional moves (…) the balance between the large and small states (…), the share of powers" between the Commission, Council and Parliament, and then a third "that just must be preserved (this Commission", as "in a Union of twenty-seven countries, it would be a mistake to weaken this place of coherence and unity". As for the possibility of reducing the number of Commissioners to six (responsible for competition, trade policy, justice, home affairs, regional policy and tax harmonisation), Michel Barnier replied: "That's an impossible reduction, as all member states (…) must in some way find themselves in the Commission (…) I do not agree with your number of six: you forget many important tasks: the environment, external policy…". Asked about the idea of a president of the European Council elected for four years, while recognising that the Council "needs more permanence", Barnier has one fear: "This new presidential structure within the Council would certainly worsen the Council-Commission rivalry". He then asked: "So, which captain? Let's set out from what already exists. We have a High Representative (…) and a Commissioner responsible for external relations (…) Let's merge the two! Let's call it the "Secretary of the European Union, as in the United States you have the job of Secretary of State. Let's give him the power of initiative, as well as a dual hat". (see EUROPE of 17 October, p.3 for Solana's criticisms of such a merger). According to Barnier, a Union Secretary, whose name should be put forward by the Heads of State, would be responsible to the Council and be personally invested by the European Parliament.