Brussels, 05/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - European Commission vice president, Günter Verheugen, considers that the power of senior Commission officials has increased so much over recent years that Commissioners sometime “lose control of the apparatus”. In an interview to Süddeutsche Zeitung on 5 October, Verheugen evoked a “constant fight for power” between Commissioners and senior officials who, despite their lack of democratic legitimacy, display an increasing tendency to settle things between themselves. The vice president said that “Commissioners have to pay a heck of attention to ensure important issues are decided during their weekly meeting, instead of officials settling things among themselves”. The vice president deplored the fact that in their reports with Member States or the EP, officials also sometimes attempted to put forward their personal views as those of the Commission. He also complained of the arrogant tone of letters written by some officials. “When I read certain letters from officials I am dismayed: they are technocratic, arrogant and condescending”. (hb)