Casa insists Euro Parliament has no right to change commissioner's portfolios

Nationalist MEP David Casa has insisted in the European Parliament that the allocation of responsibilities to European Commissioners is solely the responsibility of the president of the European Commission.

He said that the Parliament had no competence to suggest changes in the portfolios given to the Commissioners.

Mr Casa spoke in the European Parliament following the intervention of Austrian Socialist MEP Swoboda Hannes who suggested that the Parliament should be allowed to propose changes to the allocations that have been made.

Mr Casa attacked the Socialist proposal stating that he hoped there would be "no political manoeuvres by the Socialists to change Commissioner portfolios".

Commission President José Manuel Barroso also declared that "the loyalty between the different institutions is very important - and in this regard institutions need to show respect to each other's particular competencies."

Maltese Commissioner-designate John Dalli has been allocated responsibilities for health and consumer policy.