Prodi Commission

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Prodi Commission

3rd Commission of the European Union
Date formed16 September 1999 (1999-09-16)
Date dissolved21 November 2004 (2004-11-21)
History
Election(s)1999 European Parliament election
PredecessorSanter Commission
SuccessorBarroso Commission I
Headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels.

The Prodi Commission was the

Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi
.

History

The commission took office on 16 September 1999

member states
.

This commission (the 10th) saw in increase in power and influence following the

Amsterdam Treaty. Some in the media described president Prodi as being the first "Prime Minister of the European Union".[2][3]

As well as the enlargement and Amsterdam Treaty, the Prodi Commission also saw the signing and enforcement of the

European Constitution: in which he introduced the "Convention method" of negotiation. From 1999 Prodi saw in the euro and by 2002 it came into cash form and the single currency for 12 of the EU's 15 member states.[4] The body was however criticised for being lacklustre, with poor communication and failing to make an impact despite major events such as enlargement and the euro.[5]

The commission was due to leave office on 31 October 2004, but due to opposition from the

which would succeed it, it was extended and finally left office on 21 November 2004.

Commissioners

New members of May 2004 with president Prodi

When the Commission took office in 1999, there were 20 Commissioners, one from each member state and two from the largest 5 states (Italy, France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom).

2004 saw 15 new Commissioners, 5 replacing existing Commissioners who had resigned before the end of their mandate and 10 from the new member states who joined in that year. Most of these Commissioners continued to serve in the following Barroso Commission.

The members from the new states shared a portfolio with an existing member, rather than creating new posts or having Commissioners (old or new) without a portfolio.

The following table indicates the number of Commissioners according to their political alignment at the start of the commission, those who joined from the new member states and the number when the Commission left office. The colours reflect those used in the table of Commissioners below.

By political affiliation

Political alignment 1999 to 2003 Joined on 4 May November 2004
Social Democrats (PES) 10 0 8
Liberals (ELDR) 2 2 6
Centre-right (EPP-ED
)
5 3 9
Greens (EGP) 1 0 1
Independent
2 5 6

Initial College

Portfolio(s) Commissioner State Party
President Romano Prodi ID/DL
ELDR
Administrative reform
Neil Kinnock Labour
PES
European Commissioner for Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration, Transport and Energy
Loyola de Palacio PP
EPP
Competition Mario Monti independent
Fisheries
Franz Fischler ÖVP
EPP
Information Society
Erkki Liikanen
Served until 12 July 2004
SDP
PES
Information Society
Olli Rehn
Served from 12 July 2004
Keskusta
ELDR
Internal Market
Frits Bolkestein VVD
ELDR
Research
Philippe Busquin
Served until July 2004
PS

PES
Research
Louis Michel
Served from July 2004
MR
ELDR
Development & Humanitarian Aid
Poul Nielson SD
PES
Enlargement
Günter Verheugen SPD
PES
External Relations Chris Patten Conservatives
ED
Trade Pascal Lamy PS
PES
Health & Consumer Protection
David Byrne
independent
Education & Culture
Viviane Reding CSV
EPP
Budget
Michaele Schreyer
Greens
EGP
Environment
Margot Wallström SAP
PES
Justice and Home Affairs
António Vitorino PS
PES
Employment and Social Affairs
Anna Diamantopoulou
Served until March 2004
PASOK

PES
Employment and Social Affairs
Stavros Dimas
Served from March 2004
ND
EPP
Regional Policy
Michel Barnier
Served until April 2004
UMP
EPP
Regional Policy
Jacques Barrot
Served from April 2004
UMP
EPP
Economic & Monetary Affairs
Pedro Solbes
Served until 26 April 2004
PSOE
PES
Economic & Monetary Affairs
Joaquín Almunia
Served from 26 April 2004
PSOE
PES

New commissioners from 1 May 2004

Portfolio(s) Commissioner State Party
Regional Policy
Péter Balázs independent
Trade Danuta Hübner independent
Economic & Monetary Affairs
Siim Kallas Reform
ELDR
Development & Humanitarian Aid
Joe Borg PN
EPP
Fisheries
Sandra Kalniete
Vienotiba

EPP
Education & Culture
Dalia Grybauskaitė independent
Enlargement
Janez Potočnik independent
Information Society
Ján Figeľ KDH
EPP
Budget
Markos Kyprianou DIKO
ELDR
Health & Consumer Protection
Pavel Telička independent

See also

External links

References