EU Parliament backs new European Commission

Quote

John O'Donnell

Reuters, 09.02.2010

European legislators approved the make up of the next European Commission on Tuesday, clearing the way for the executive to take office after months of delay and with a wealth of policy issues to tackle.

In a vote carried by 488 to 137, the European Parliament handed Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso a strong mandate for his second five-year term, which he has said will focus on delivering jobs and growth to the EU's hard-pressed economy. [...]

Analysts say the delays in forming the new executive make it all the more important that it gets down to work immediately.

"There is no time to lose as the agenda is packed with pressing issues like the reform of financial regulations (and) the need to respond to the severe consequences of the global crisis," said Janis Emmanouilidis of the European Policy Centre, a Brussels-based think-tank. "President Barroso and his team need to provide a new sense of orientation in an EU which has suffered from a multiple lack of leadership."

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