Brussels, 30/06/2004 (Agence Europe) - In the morning of 30 June, the day after his appointment as the new President of the European Commission, Portuguese prime minister José Manuel Durao Barroso visited the outgoing President of the European Parliament Pat Cox, telling him he was ready to speak before the EP's political groups from 12 July onwards, should they so desire. In a statement published in the evening of 29 June, Pat Cox suggested that before the plenary debate with the President designate and the European Parliament's vote of approval in Strasbourg on 22 July, the political groups would probably want to hold dialogue with Barroso (the Social group has already asked to meet with the President designate, see below).
On Wednesday, following his meeting with Barroso, Cox told reporters he welcomed Barroso's appointment by heads of state to take over from Romano Prodi. Barroso said he wanted to hold dialogue with the European Parliament, noting that as Portuguese head of state, he had been the first leader to actually lead a policy of openness and constant dialogue with the national parliament. He said it was vital for the two EU institutions of the European Parliament and the European Commission to work closely together and said he was ready to listen to suggestions.
As he had done at the press conference on Tuesday evening, Barroso emphasised that it was his job to decide who would be responsible for what at the Commission, saying he was not prepared to give up any of his responsibility.