Commission President Barroso is expected to present his new line-up at the EU summit in Brussels on 4 November. It is now widely expected that Barroso will aim for a limited reshuffle.
Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is widely expected to nominate Foreign Minister Franco Frattini as a replacement for former Commissioner candidate Rocco Buttiglione. The move would also entail the appointment of a successor to Frattini. The most likely candidate for the latter post is Deputy Premier Gianfranco Fini.
Hungary's embattled Commissioner candidate László Kovács continues to enjoy the support of the country's Socialist-led government. Despite loud calls from domestic opposition circles for his withdrawal, he is expected to take over the taxation port folio from the dismissed Latvian commissioner Ingrida Udre.
In turn the energy portfolio would then be given to the new Latvian nominee Andris Piebalgs.
This would leave the much criticised Dutchwoman Neelie Kroes out of the reshuffle. In Holland, Foreign Minister Bernard Bot reiterated support for his government's nomination of Kroes at the head of the EU's competition watchdog. Kroes has been criticised by MEPs over potential conflicts of interest because of her numerous boardroom directorships in the past. "
Denmark's Agriculture Commissioner candidate Mariann Fischer Boel also appeared to be off the hook for now. Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen confirmed on 2 November that Denmark was not on the list of EU member states asked to revise their Commissioner nominees. Rasmussen also reiterated his support for Boel.
European Parliament President Borrell has said that the EP is ready to hold hearings for the new commissioners as of 8 November before voting on the new Commission on 15 November.
