- Title: BELGIUM: EUROPEAN COMMISSION-DESIGNATE MEET IN BRUSSELS.
- Date: 27th August 1999
- Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (AUGUST 27, 1999) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV: EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING CHARLEMAGNE IN BRUSSELS 0.04 2. GV/PAN: ARRIVAL OF DAVID BYRNE, CONSUMER AND FOOD EU MINISTER DESIGNATE 0.13 3. SV/PAN: ARRIVAL OF ANTONIO VITORINO, JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS MINISTER DESIGNATE 0.23 4. SV/PAN: ARRIVAL OF PEDRO SOLBES, MONETARY AFFAIRS MINISTER DESIGNATE 0.36 5. MCU/PAN: (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) GUNTER VERHEUGEN, ENLARGEMENT MINISTER DESIGNATE SAYING (ABOUT THE HEARINGS NEXT WEEK): "I have prepared myself as far and as well as I can and I'm looking forward to it. We will coordinate our positions but as far as I can see, the answers have been already coordinated, so there is not too much to discuss today." 1.14 6. GV/LV: ARRIVAL OF A GROUP OF FOUR: (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) INDUSTRY AND INFORMATION MINISTER DESIGNATE ERRKI LIIKANEN, BUDGET MINISTER DESIGNATE MICHAELE SCHREYER, REGIONAL MINISTER DESIGNATE MICHEL BARNIER, AND RESEARCH MINISTER DESIGNATE PHILIPPE BUSQUIN (2 SHOTS) 1.40 7. MV/PAN: ARRIVAL OF NEIL KINNOCK, VICE-PRESIDENT EU REFORMS MINISTER DESIGNATE 1.47 8. LV/GV/PAN: ARRIVAL OF ROMANO PRODI, PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION 2.05 9. MV/PAN: ARRIVAL OF FRANZ FISCHLER, AGRICULTURE MINISTER DESIGNATE 2.12 10. MV TO CU/PAN: (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) VIVIANE REDING, EDUCATION AND CULTURE MINISTER DESIGNATE, SAYING (ABOUT THE HEARINGS NEXT WEEK): "I think it will be tough but very objective, I suppose." 2.31 11. SV/PAN: ARRIVAL OF LOYOLA DE PALACIO, VICE-PRESIDENT TRANSPORT AND ENERGY MINISTER DESIGNATE 2.38 12. GV/MV/PAN: VARIOUS MEETING IN PROGRESS (8 SHOTS) 3.17 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 11th September 1999 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- Country: Belgium
- Reuters ID: LVA1ULLNW2DRLDJUAT0CHDBY5JDK
- Story Text: The 20-member European Commission-designate headed by
Romano Prodi has met in Brussels to plot its strategy ahead of
hearings next week in the European Parliament which will
determine whether it ever takes office.
Nominees to Romano Prodi's new European Commission met
in Brussels on Friday (August 27) ahead of the hearings nex
week when they will be subjected to intensive U.S.
Senate-style questioning by the European Parliament.
Over seven days of hearings starting on Monday, nominees
must convince Euro-MPs they have the ability to restore public
confidence in the institution after the current European Union
executive resigned in March after a devastating fraud scandal.
The European Union's directly elected assembly, anxious to
assert itself after a poor voter turnout in June's European
elections, has the power to reject the team in a September 15
vote if it finds one or another of the members wanting.
It cannot throw out individual commissioners but could put
pressure on Prodi to make changes to his team.
As Prodi, a former Italian prime minister, met his team on
Friday to plot strategy and prepare for the hearings, deputies
vowed to leave no stone unturned in vetting the men and women
who will lead the 15-nation bloc into the new millennium.
Prodi was brought in by EU leaders in March after the
executive of Luxembourg's Jacques Santer resigned when a
Parliament-instigated report found it responsible for fraud
and cronyism.
The Commission is responsible for proposing EU
legislation and for making sure member states comply with it.
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