Brussels, 19/11/2004 (Agence Europe) - The Justice and Home Affairs Council adopted on Friday, without debate, the European Parliament's decision to formally approve investiture (yesterday's EUROPE, pp.4/5) of the new European Commission presided by José Manuel Barroso, allowing it to take up its duties on 22 November. The mandate of the Barroso Commission will end on 31 October 2009. The draft decision had already been endorsed by the Permanent Representatives of the member countries (Coreper) on Thursday afternoon and the vote of ministers, on Friday, was just a formality. We recall that the EU Treaty (Article 214, paragraph 2) provides for the president and the other members of the Commission to be appointed by the Council, enacting by qualified majority, after European Parliament approval of the Commission.
Outgoing President Romano Prodi congratulated Mr Barroso immediately after the vote at the EP. "I was very pleased to see such a clear majority in Parliament in favour of your Commission", Mr Prodi told his successor, according to a press release. The vote sends out "an important message" at a "crucial time for European integration", Mr Prodi said, noting that the Barroso Commission should face up to challenges such as the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy, and defence of peace and stability in these difficult and disturbed times. High Representative for CFSP Javier Solana announces that he is ready to work with Mr Barroso and his team to achieve a stronger Europe in the spirit of the new Constitutional Treaty.