The European Commission Looking for the Right Formula

Romania has set forth its proposal for the portfolio it's going to hold in the future European Commission, against the background of difficult decision making regarding the structure of the future Commission.

România Internațional, 04.08.2014, 13:16

After a few weeks of Romanian media speculating on the disagreements between the head of state Traian Basescu and Prime Minister Victor Ponta over Romania’s proposal for the position of European Commissioner, light has been eventually shed on the situation. Prime Minister Ponta has sent the new European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker a letter, informing him that Romania wishes its current representative, namely European Commissioner for Agriculture Dacian Ciolos, to get a new term in office. Boasting an excellent reputation, both in Bucharest and in Brussels, Ciolos is the one who came up with the idea of a Common Agricultural Policy, a giant programme aimed at reforming EU agriculture. Agriculture is a fundamental portfolio, with allocations of 50 billion Euros every year, accounting for 40% of the entire EU budget, so other EU countries are also interested in getting this portfolio.

The activity carried out by Romanian Ciolos during his term in office recommends him for another term in office, but there are other factors to be taken into consideration as well. For instance, the gender balance that Juncker must strike in the future commission. At a time when the debate on the proportion and role played by women in the EU structures is more lively than ever, the architecture of the European Commission must reflect equality. Although it may seem rather technical in nature, and it was given too much thought in the previous terms, the issue of gender balance may lead to a failure in October, when the votes on the new European Commission’s investiture are to be cast.

Therefore, Juncker’s mission is going to be tough, all the more so as there are also high professional standards that must be taken into consideration. To Juncker, ensuring gender equality while at the same making sure that the right professional competence criteria are observed is the touchstone of the beginning of this term; and it’s not going to be easy, as very few member states have come up with proposals of women for the position of European Commissioner.