Strasbourg, 16/11/2005 (Agence Europe) - Speaking to reporters in Strasbourg on Tuesday, the Vice-President of the European Commission with responsibility for transport, Jacques Barrot, praised Francois Lamoureux, former Director General of DG Transport and Energy. He was an excellent director with whom I worked closely, said Barrot, adding that he had pressurised Jose Manuel Barroso to get an exception to the rule whereby Director Generals cannot be of the same nationality as the Commissioner they report to. Barrot said he would be backing Lamoureux, who had been very ingenious with regard to new projects like Galileo, to ensure he kept working for the Commission and for Europe. The recent reshuffle of Director Generals has been slammed by some French MEPs (see EUROPE 9066), but Barrot pointed out that two French nationals were in important positions, namely Jean-Luc Demarty, new Director General for Agriculture, and Odile Quintin, Director General for DG Culture and Education.