Brussels, 20/01/2009 (Agence Europe) - The college of 27 European commissioners will be meeting on Thursday 22 and Friday 23 January in Lanaken (Flemish province of Limbourg) under the chairmanship of Jose Manuel Barroso for a seminar intended to take stock of the political and legislative agenda of the last ten months of office, and to draw up a first report of work accomplished since November 2004. While the main priorities for the last months of this Commission are well known (energy security, economic and financial crisis, climate), it is now a matter of fine-tuning and detailing the work agenda on these subjects, it is explained in Mr Barroso's close circles. In its planning, the Commission should also take account of the European elections in June and the possible entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty. These two issues will also be raised in Lanaken. The aim of the roadmap approved by the European Council in December 2008 is to ensure that the new treaty takes effect by the end of 2009 (Ireland has undertaken to seek ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, no doubt with a second referendum by the end of the current Commission's term of office). Normally, the Commission's mandate should expire on 1 November but Mr Barroso has already announced he would be willing to remain at his post a few more weeks (one or two months) if this allowed an easier transition to the next Commission in the new institutional context of the Lisbon Treaty. It is imperative that the new treaty should be in force at the time of Commission renewal as it is only thus that each member state may keep “its” commissioner (Dublin's main demand, accepted by all 27, to make the Irish vote again on the Lisbon Treaty). On the other hand, the Nice Treaty in force imposes a reduction in the size of the Commission as of 2009. (H.B./transl.jl)