EU leaders to ponder Commission's future[fr][de] 

Discussions over who would become the EU's first full-time president were expected to dominate the summit, with French President Nicolas Sarkozy seen as potential kingmaker as he is to chair the December meeting during which it was initially anticipated the decision would be made (EurActiv 07/05/08).

But following the failed Irish referendum, heads of state and government will instead have to revert to the provisions of the Nice Treaty, which is designed for a Europe of 27 member states, diplomats said. 

In short, this means having to consider reducing the number of commissioners to below 27, as foreseen under the current treaty agreed upon in Nice in 2001. In contrast, the Lisbon Treaty envisages reducing the number of commissioners to 15 by 2014. 

Ireland forced to give up commissioner? 

Pierre Sellal, the French Ambassador to the EU, said this amounted to "a paradox" for the Irish 'no' camp, which had partly campaigned on fears that Ireland would lose its right to appoint a commissioner under the new Lisbon Treaty. 

"Under Lisbon, this would only have happened in 2014," Sellal told journalists in Brussels on 18 June. The question of which country (or countries) should give up their commissioner will therefore now have to be open to negotiation between EU heads of state. And because such decisions have to be taken by unanimity, this raises the prospect of endless haggling between member states. 

"As long as there will be no Lisbon Treaty, this question will remain open," Sellal said. 

And following the Lisbon Treaty's rejection in Ireland, it is the Irish commissioner who is now seen as "the odd one out". To satisfy the Nice Treaty's requirements, it could be enough for just one country to lose its commissioner and that country may well be Ireland, diplomats said. 

"The Republic could lose its EU commissioner for good because voters rejected the Lisbon Treaty," said Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen, speaking before Parliament on 17 June. 

If they indeed want to keep their commissioner, at least until 2014, the Irish would have to say 'yes' to the Lisbon Treaty, an EU diplomat told EurActiv. 

Commission under fire

Meanwhile, the Commission itself has come under fire for its late reaction over rising food and fuel prices that have sparked angry protests from fishermen, farmers and truck drivers across Europe.

"One of the ways of responding [to the Irish 'No'] is to show that we are capable of acting in the interest of citizens," said Pierre Sellal, French Ambassador to the EU.

"It is very difficult to justify your existence through inaction," he added in reference to the European Commission.