Lord President appointed new EU Trade Commissioner

Catherine Ashton was yesterday officially appointed as the new EU Trade Commissioner succeeding Peter Mandelson who resigned last week to join Gordon Brown's Cabinet as Business Secretary.

Baroness Ashton was appointed by the British Government for the rest of the present Commission mandate, which ends in a year's time.

Following approval by EU member states, Baroness Ashton will now appear before the European Parliament where she has to face a tough grilling before being given the green light by MEPs.

Until yesterday, Baroness Ashton of Upholland, held the political office of Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council in Mr Brown's Cabinet.

She is an economist and previously held positions as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the UK's Department for Education, Parliamentary Under Secretary in the Department for Constitutional Affairs, and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Justice Ministry.

Mr Mandelson's departure is the third during the term of the present Commission. Former commissioners Markos Kyprianou and Franco Frattini resigned from the Commission to join their respective national governments in Cyprus and Italy as ministers.