Brussels, 19/03/2007 (Agence Europe) - Louis Michel, the European commissioner for development policy and humanitarian aid, will be taking unpaid leave from the Commission on 12 May-10 June to stand in the general elections for his party (in last place on the Belgian Senate list). In a press statement on 17 March, the Commission explained that Michel's holiday request, officially sent by post to the Commission president, had been agreed to by José Manuel Barroso, the president of the Commission.
To ensure continuity and efficient management of subjects covered in Mr Michel's portfolio, Mr Barroso decided that this post would temporarily be filled by Olli Rehn, the Finnish commissioner for enlargement.
The Commission pointed out that under the European Commission's code of conduct, “Commission members can be active members of political parties or unions as long as their activities do not clash with their Commission service availability…Commission member candidates with a public mandate have to inform the president of what level role they intend to play in the election campaign. If they intend to play an active role in the election campaign, they cannot participate in Commission work until the end of the campaign”. (an)