Brussels, 03/12/2003 (Agence Europe) - In an interview in the German daily, Handelsblatt, President Prodi stated that the EU of 25 would move forward at different speeds on certain policies, notably defence. While saying that he would prefer that everyone moved forward together he declared that, "we cannot eternally sacrifice the European project in the name of the slower members among us".
Following a meeting with the Slovenian Prime Minister, Anton Rop, on Tuesday in Brussels, Romano Prodi indicated to the press that the names of the European Commissioners of the ten new Member States would be known in February 2004 so that the European Parliament could provided them with a hearing as they had done with the Commissioners of the Fifteen. Mr Prodi wants at least three Commissioners to be women (Danuta Hübner is being mentioned: Editor's note).
Commission Neil Kinnock said on Tuesday (according to AFP) that he was ready, together with his colleagues, to "share his portfolio" with new Commissioners (till the Prodi Commission is replace after 31 October 2004 - Commissioners from the new Member States will not have their own dossiers: Editor's note). According to Mr Kinnock, the new Commissioners could, between the 1 May and 31 October, work with one of the current Commissioners and then three months with another.