"It is a duty to participate and be interested in what others do," Barnier told reporters in Paris after his appointment was announced last Friday (27 November).
In particular, France will make its opinion heard on all major upcoming reforms, especially on farm policy, said Barnier, who was agriculture minister before being elected to the European Parliament in May this year.
The appointment as EU farm commissioner of Dacian Cioloş, a Romanian who has claimed France is his "adoptive country," is seen as a victory for Paris, which supported his nomination.
"He will be independent but I will give him my opinion," Barnier said, insisting on the need to "preserve farm regulations because feeding people is not a service like any other".
Cioloş is married to a Frenchwoman and has studied the economics of agricultural development in France, prompting the international media to say he was the second commissioner designated by Paris.
Romanian President Basescu, who is ahead of the second round of presidential elections, tried to capitalise on Cioloş's appointment by saying it "is an extremely important thing for Romania, as the common agricultural policy is one of the pillars of the EU".
"The portfolio is extremely important also regarded through the allocated budget but especially if we consider the large number of people involved in agriculture and food industry-related activities."
In his new capacity, Cioloş will manage some 55 billion euros in EU farm funding in a 2010 budget worth 122.9 billion euro (EurActiv 19/11/09).
Cioloş spoke briefly after Basescu and said he feels his nomination was "one of the results of the chance that Romania had in joining the EU" and that he would try to contribute to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and European integration.
(EurActiv France and EurActiv Romania.)
