European Commission: approval of appointment of Members and of President, Romano Prodi

The announcement by Mr Romano PRODI, president-designate of the new European Commission, of the list of Commissioners he wishes to appoint has set in motion a process which is due to culminate in an investiture vote at Parliament's part-session in September. The 20 proposed Commissioners are: - Mr Michel BARNIER (France): Regional policy; - Mr Frits BOLKESTEIN (Netherlands): Internal market; - Mr Philippe BUSQUIN (Belgium): Research; - Mr David BYRNE (Ireland): Health & Consumer protection; - Mrs Loyola DE PALACIO DEL VALLELERSUNDI (Spain): vice-president. Relations with the European Parliament, Transport & Energy; - Mrs Anna DIAMANTOPOULOU (Greece): Employment & Social affairs; - Mr Franz FISCHLER (Austria): Agriculture & Fisheries; - Mr Neil KINNOCK (United-Kingdom): vice-president. Administrative Reform; - Mr Pascal LAMY (France): Trade; - Mr Erkki LIIKANEN (Finland): Entreprise & Information Society; - Mr Mario MONTI (Italy): Competition; - Mr Poul NIELSON (Denmark): Development & Humanitarian Aid; - Mr Christopher PATTEN (United-Kingdom): External Relations; - Mrs Viviane REDING (Luxemburg): Education & Culture; - Mrs Michaele SCHREYER (Germany): Budget; - Mr Pedro SOLBES MIRA (Spain): Economic & Monetary Affairs; - Mr Gunter VERHEUGEN (Germany): Enlargement; - Mr Antonio VITORINO (Portugal): Justice & Home Affairs; - Mrs Margot WALLSTRÖM (Sweden): Environment. The hearings of the would-be Commissioners by Parliament's committees will begin on the afternoon of August 30th and end on the morning of September 7th. �