Brussels, 11/06/2004 (Agence Europe) - The President of the new European Commission must "look beyond minor organisational changes" in the organisation of the College, and "seek to introduce major structural reform until a reduced Commission is agreed", states Reworking the Commission, the first contribution to come from the Ideas Factory (IF), a Brussels-based platform of young professionals who intend not only to react to developments in the EU, but to anticipate its "political agenda". Supported by the European Policy Centre founded by Stanley Crossick, the initiative is co-ordinated by Giovanni Grevi. Site: http://www.TheEPC.be .
At this stage, the authors are basing their assumptions of the hypothesis of a Commission made up of one Commissioner per Member State, and make suggestions on how to organise it, feeling that these suggestions will probably be valid for at least the next two mandates, pending a more compact Commission from 2014. Noting that "the history of the Commission has shown that- whatever the number- each Commission has been dominated by four to five heavyweight Commissioners", the IF members stress that, with "a growing number of national players engaging in horse-trading on crucial matters, the need for a strong Commission will become ever more pressing". Furthermore, the Commission should "restore the constructive co-operation that existed in the past" with its Member States, at different times. As for its President, he or she should fully exercise their new powers, especially if the function of President of the European Council is finally created.
According to IF, three options could be envisaged for the next Commission: -a President with 24 Commissioners with a portfolio and a Directorate General each; -clusters of Commissioners co-ordinated by five Vice-Presidents; a hybrid model combining both options, with groups of Commissioners on ad hoc issues. The favoured option is the second one.
IF is proposing the creation of five Vice-President posts as follows: -for democratic responsibility (Council and European Parliament, inter-institutional planning, budget, Commission reform- with specific responsibility for relations with the Member States' capitals and communication policy); -External Relations Minister (development and humanitarian aid, prevention and civil management of crises, enlargement, New Neighbours, trade); -for freedom, security, justice (immigration and asylum, including the free movement of persons, justice and human rights); -for economic and social cohesion (economic and financial affairs, social and consumer affairs, regional cohesion, agriculture and fishing, employment, environment, health and food safety); -for competitiveness (internal market, competition, State aid, management of Community programmes, taxation, industrial policy, transport and energy, telecommunications and ecommerce, research and education, improved legislation, and SMEs).
According to IF, which stresses the need to ensure both collegiality and efficiency, these Vice-Presidents would have to be "political heavyweights, able to present key decisions" externally, and be "representative of the composition of the College". No Vice-President post should be pre-determined during the nomination process with Member States. Two posts should go to the new Member States, if candidates have the experience required. The Vice-Presidents would have horizontal co-ordination duties and would only be responsible for one portfolio or one Directorate General.
The Vice-Presidents would oversee groups of Commissioners, whom they would meet once a week, and they would report to the President of the Commission weekly on the work of these groups. Groups would be restricted to three or four Commissioners, with the possibility for a Commissioner from a country specifically affected by the issue to take part. Decisions would be taken by consensus, and in case of disagreement, College would be called upon to vote. The full College would meet once a fortnight, for sessions prepared by the chefs de cabinet of all the Commissioners. The President could, where necessary, convene extraordinary meetings of the College.