About: Commission reform
What is wrong with the European Commission?
The European Commission, a crucial EU institution, is beset with difficulties. It is popular with neither governments nor voters. Twenty years ago, many people looked to the Commission to set the EU’s agenda and take the lead in managing crises. But few people expect the Commission to play that role today, writes Charles Grant.
Parliament to dismiss plans for European credit ratings
MEPs are likely to reject the idea of a European approach to credit rating and have delayed a vote on the issue, highlighting difficulties in implementing a European Commission proposal that many lawmakers argue is unrealistic.
Kallas: Commission must address ‘rigid’ recruitment system
The European Commission should address the EU's "rigid" recruitment and career development systems to bring them more in line with today's flexible labour market, Siim Kallas, a vice-president of the EU executive, told EURACTIV in an interview.
Commission must address ‘rigid’ recruitment system
The European Commission should address the EU's "rigid" recruitment and career development systems to bring them more in line with today's flexible labour market, Siim Kallas, a vice-president of the EU executive, told EURACTIV in an interview.
Barroso weighs options for new-look EU executive
With the dawn of the second Barroso Commission, EURACTIV examines how portfolios may be restructured in a new-look EU executive. The likeliest high-profile changes include new commissioners for climate action and migration.
Barroso seizes control of ‘Better Regulation’ agenda
Brussels' bid to slash red tape by 25% is to be controlled by the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, as part of a shakeup of commissioners' portfolios.
Next Commission needs ‘courage’ to redress Europe’s economy, experts say
Political analysts in Brussels are urging the next European Commission to be bolder and more strategic than it has been so far in proposing ways out of the crisis as it will have to ward off economic nationalism and win over EU governments and citizens.Abolish 12 unnecessary EU departments
Twelve directorate generals at the European Commission should be abolished, claims Alex Singleton in a paper for the Globalisation Institute.The Reform Treaty: two treaties for the price of one?
The EU's Reform Treaty has actually produced two treaties: "a treaty on the EU, which contains most of the institutional provisions, and a second treaty on the functioning of the Union", write Daniel Gros and Stefano Micossi of the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS).Europe’s future: a chance for wise men?
It is not a foregone conclusion that the 'committee of wise men' proposed by Nicolas Sarkozy to reshape the EU's future will be a success, and it is vital to prevent it from being "instrumentalised in the political arena", argues a new Spotlight Europe paper.EU officials receive ‘bureaucracy killer’ awards
Commission staff were rewarded for ideas to improve working methods at the most emblematic Brussels-based EU institution as it seeks to eradicate its image of heavy and inefficient bureaucracy.Interview: ‘Proud to be fanatical about UK independence’
Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) spoke to EURACTIV recently about his continuing commitment to the UKIP cause in Brussels, and why he believes that Britain is 'tying itself in knots' over the 10% of its goods that are exported to Europe.Nigel Farage: ‘Wrecking EU has never been UKIP’s aim’
UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage says that his party is genuinely non-racist and has managed to draw support from a wide spectrum of voters disenchanted with the EU project. Speaking exclusively to EURACTIV, he further argues that the UK can better adapt to globalisation in isolation, rather than belonging to the 27-member bloc.Socialists criticise new commissioner’s portfolio
Socialist Group leader Martin Schulz has described the Romanian commissioner’s role as 'skimpy' and suggested that he should be made commissioner for minorities instead of multilingualism.