Financiarul

President Traian Basescu on Thursday evening said in Brussels that following the meeting of heads of state and government of the EU member countries, that Europe which is running according to the new rules – The Treaty of Lisbon – has started off on the right foot, considering the new managing structure of the European Council has been decided fast.

‘I believe a fast result was necessary for everyone, because it is the first step and an it is essential for the enforcement of the Treaty of Lisbon. (…) The Council was extraordinary and its goal was to establish, in line with the Treaty of Lisbon, the new executive structure, namely the election of the president of the European Council, the election of the high representative for foreign and security policy and the designation of secretary general of the Council.

By consensus, Belgian PM Herman Van Rompuy was elected EU president, whereas Mrs. Catherine Ashton, current commissioner for trade, was elected EU foreign policy chief. The Secretary general of the Council will maintain position until the retirement. In the upcoming 12 month he will retire,’ Basescu announced.
According to the head of the state, Catherine Ashton will have to give up the position which she holds at present, going through a fast procedure in Parliament somewhere between December 2 and 4. Basescu said that Ashton was propped by the European socialists, at present in the Council being eight socialists premiers.

‘From a political viewpoint the two designations are: a representative of the European People’s Party, as president of the EU and the second one a foreign policy chief coming from the socialists. There are eight socialists premiers in the Council. They had a meeting before the Council and came with this proposal, which was unanimously adopted.

This solves the balance within the Council compared to the political families represented in the European Parliament,’ said Basescu. He said that Catherine Ashton automatically becomes vice-president of the European Commission. ‘The hearings for the Commission headed by Mr. Barroso will take place before January 2010 as it was agreed with the Parliament. I would like you to take into account that the designation of the Commission’s members is a co-decision.

It no longer happens as before, when the president of the Commission was the one who designated the commissioners, and when if a commissioner was rejected the president made another proposal. The Treaty of Lisbon constraints to co-decision, therefore before the presentation of commissioners the EC president and parliamentary parties have to hold talks in order to establish an option for the future commissioner to be agreed by both sides,’ said Basescu.