Ivan Camilleri, Brussels
EU leaders agree on top jobs
Prime Minister says decision on Maltese commissioner not yet finalised
EU leaders yesterday unanimously elected Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy as the first full-time President of the EU Council and British Trade European Commissioner, Baroness Catherine Asthon as Foreign Affairs High Representative and Vice-President of the EU Executive.
The decision was made following an informal dinner for the 27 EU leaders in Brussels and became possible after British Prime Minister Gordon Brown decided not to insist on the nomination of his predecessor, Tony Blair.
Both Mr Van Rompuy and Baroness Asthon are considered to be low-profile figures and are not really known outside EU circles. However, EU diplomats said they were the result of consensus reached after two rounds of telephone diplomacy spearheaded by the president of the EU, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrick Reinfeldt.
"Both candidates are the best compromise one could secure among EU leaders. Mr Van Rompuy comes from the EPP and Baroness Asthon is a socialist. With Baroness Asthon's surprise appointment we have also managed to tackle the gender balance needed in the EU's two most prestigious jobs."
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi described the two personalities selected as people "who are capable to listen to all the member states including the small ones".
He praised the efforts put in by Mr Reinfeldt who, according to the Prime Minister, was instrumental in reaching a quick deal.
"Over the past days I was involved in these consultations through two separate telephone conversations with Mr Reinfeldt. He did a great job as he managed to present to the 26 other leaders a quick solution. Both Mr Van Rompuy and Baroness Asthon have a great sense of Europe and understand how the EU works. This augurs well for the future functioning of the EU."
Mr Van Rompuy, 62, has served as Prime Minister of Belgium - a founder EU member state - for less than a year and is considered to be a consensus builder. He will now have to resign to assume his new office.
Baroness Asthon, 53, had replaced British Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson following his resignation from the Commission to re-join the British Labour Government as Business Secretary. Before her appointment in Brussels, she was a member of the House of Lords and has little experience of foreign affairs.
With the appointment of the EU's top jobs now over, the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso is expected to conclude his negotiations with member states on the team of his second Commission and is already in an advanced stage of assigning portfolios to the commissioners-designate nominated by member states.
With the position of the British Commissioner now also filled, Malta is one of the very few member states which has still to make its nomination official.
Asked about the latest situation on Malta's nomination, Dr Gonzi refused to give any details and repeated his stock answer that "the appointment will be made at the opportune time".
Asked to say whether Social Policy Minister John Dalli will be nominated for the €220,000 a year job, Dr Gonzi said that no final decision had been made yet.
Pressed to say whether he had already offered the position to Mr Dalli, Dr Gonzi replied: "I can't say anything on that".
Mr Dalli last Tuesday held a private meeting with Mr Barroso during which The Times is informed that his possible portfolio was discussed.
Mr Dalli confirmed that a meeting with Mr Barroso was held but would not comment on whether he had been offered the job of commissioner.
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Edward Demicoli
Nov 20th 2009, 16:48
@tony Stivala/Farrugia It is not true that decisions taken by the MEPs in Parliament go in front of the Commission. MEPs together with the Council (ie the elected heads of State of each country) decide on all eu laws. The Commission can only propose law and make sure it is implemented. With all the talk of democratic deficit it is the ELECTED MEPs and the ELECTED heads of state and Government which decide.
R. Mallia
Nov 20th 2009, 16:21
@Tony Stivala when will we learn to get our facts right? the decision didn't go infront of the "unelected Commission" but it was taken by the European Council (the Summit) made up of the heads of state or government (i.e. Prime Ministers) of all 27 Member States, all elected in their respective country. Moreover such decisions are most often also put forward to the European Parliament for consent. This presidency used to rotate every 6 months, each time having as president the Prime Minister from a different Member State. Now this term has become two and a half years. The current president is Sweden's Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt.
Robert Scullion
Nov 20th 2009, 14:33
@lgalea
Good to see you still hold you nasty euro-septic views ...
So explain when the death penalty will come in? Since you failed on numerous occasions to explain it, yet always say you do.
J Martinelli
Nov 20th 2009, 13:18
@ Maria Grech
Do you happen to know more about Mr. Dalli's experience regarding EU issues, than the Prime Minister?
If so, better get to the PM quick!
Mr. Borg became the first Maltese Commissioner at the very start of Malta's membership in the EU and did an excellent job.
If Mr. Dalli is nominated, he would have at least five years experience in EU affairs, a definite advantage on the experience Mr. Borg had five years ago!
Tony Stivala
Nov 20th 2009, 12:45
@ J Farrugia. How right you are, unelected president
At a salary equivalent of 320 thousand sterlling. Mr. Van Rompuy does not care who appointed him. The only elected people in EU are MEP's and then when they make a decision it still has to go in front of the unelected commission for the final decision to be made. What morality????
Joe Grima
Nov 20th 2009, 12:38
Welcome Herman Van Rompuy as EU President. Unkonwn today, he will soon become world renowned if, as President, he will stick to his guns on Turkey. Van Rompuy's views on Turkish membership are in perfect harmony with my own i.e. that Turkey and its 90 million muslims should not get within a million miles of EU membership. Go for it Mr Presidnet..
lgalea
Nov 20th 2009, 12:19
To me, every eu leader is a foreign colonialist petty dictator and shall forever hold all of them in contempt.
I shall never consider that they represent me or my country and shall work to get my country out of the dictatorial eu pie-in-the-sky united states of europe dictatorship.
J Farrugia
Nov 20th 2009, 11:22
This is not democracy coming from the EU. This is sham democracy, where this man made president of the EU is chosen by the chosen few. As an ex french president Giscard d'estange recently said there was absolutely no real preparation for what was going to happen after the Lisbon treaty debacle. This only shows that the EU today has absolutely no moral standing. It's only after the money and nothing else.
Maria Grech
Nov 20th 2009, 11:18
I can't understand why John Dalli will be Malta's next EU Commissioner. Does he have any experience in EU affairs?
This will probably be PM Gonzi's worst decision throughout this legislature.
E Gatt
Nov 20th 2009, 10:54
Van Rompuy is a strong opponent of Turkey joining the European Union. In 2004, he stated "Turkey is not a part of Europe and will never be part of Europe. An expansion of the EU to include Turkey cannot be considered as just another expansion as in the past". He continued "The universal values which are in force in Europe, and which are fundamental values of Christianity, will lose vigour with the entry of a large Islamic country such as Turkey." (source: Wikipedia).
He joins a growing list of European leaders (and religious/non-religious everyday people) , including Pope Benedict XVI (as cardinal), President Sarkosy and Chancellor Angela Merkel, who want a close partnership with Turkey which stops short of EU membership.