24/11/2005 (Agence Europe) - Reporting on his activity as Commissioner for transport during the first year of the Barroso Commission (see other article), Vice-President Jacques Barrot acknowledged on Thursday when speaking to a small group of journalists that the Commission has, over the past twelve months, experienced “circumstances that have been more difficult than usual”. Mr Barrot cited the rejection of the European Constitution in France and the Netherlands and the failure of the June European Council on financial perspectives as being among such exceptional circumstances. He also spoke, however, of the fact that the Commission has had to size up the enlarged Union, which, he believes, has been an “added difficulty”. In 2005, the Commission mainly played a “role of mediator”, he said, mentioning the support given to the Luxembourg compromise on the June financial perspectives and the important role that it has played in preparing the informal summit at Hampton Court on 27 October. In his view, “2006 should be a year of initiatives and proposals” (for the Commission).