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The major political groups in the European Parliament have signalled that they can accept the Barroso Commission's new line-up. The hearings of the three commissioners in question are scheduled to take place on 15-16 November. This will be followed by a debate on 17 November and a vote on 18 november. Martin Schultz, leader of the PES group, who led the protest against the now ousted Italian Commissioner designate Rocco Buttiglione, has signalled his satisfaction with the new team: "We had four core demands. Three of them have been met. We appreciate that Mr Barroso has moved," he said. The leader of the conservative PPE group Hans-Gert Pöttering also signalled his satisfaction with the new line-up. The new Commissioners designate are the Italian Franco Frattini, who will take over the Justice and Home affairs portfolio and the Latvian Andris Piebalgs, who will look after the energy portfolio. The Hungarian Commissioner designate Lászlo Kóvács, who was first destined to have energy as his dossier, was moved to the taxation portfolio after he was criticised for having insufficient energy policy knowledge. |
