01/03/2001 (Agence Europe) - Romano Prodi, in a letter to the Gazzetta di Parma, explained why he spoke out in favour of Luxembourg as the seat of the future EU food safety authority, when the city of Parma, in Emilia-Romagna, is a candidate (with Barcelona, Lille and Helsinki). As an Italian and from Emilia, I would like Parma to win, but it is not the position which can and should be taken by the President of the European Commission, asserted Mr Prodi. Also recalling that the decision falls on the European Council, he said that the proposal we will make to the Heads of State and Government to set up the authority in Luxembourg is the logical and completely foreseeable consequence of the rationalisation of the geographic distribution of European Commission offices, since Luxembourg would thus be compensated for the loss of several Commission services.