About: José Manuel Barroso
Former Commissioner takes UBS shilling as revolving door keeps turning
Swiss bank UBS has hired the UK's former European Commissioner, Jonathan Hill, to advise corporate customers about Brexit, it was revealed on Tuesday (29 May), prompting 'revolving door' concerns once again.
Catalonian independence: Juncker ventures into unchartered waters
Jean-Claude Juncker likely infuriated Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Thursday (14 September) by saying that if Catalonians voted to secede from Spain in next month's referendum, the Commission would respect the outcome.
Communication: The weak part of European integration
The European Commission’s White Paper on the Future of Europe is a sad confirmation of the absence of a future vision and leadership, writes Stavros Papagianneas.
EU watchdog opens probe into Barrosogate
Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly began investigating the Commission’s handling of the Barrosogate scandal today (28 February).
Ombudswoman brushes off National Front MEP’s discrimination complaint
A National Front MEP has called on Emily O’Reilly to examine discrimination against political minorities in the European Parliament. He says the situation has worsened since Brexit. Euractiv France reports.
French Socialists demand deeper debate on CETA
Two weeks before the crucial vote on the EU’s free trade deal with Canada (CETA), French Socialist MEPs have called on their European Parliament colleagues to hold a deep debate on the subject. EURACTIV France reports.
Campaigners: Commission ethics group needs teeth after Barroso/Kroes scandals
A small, internal group that reviews ethics breaches at the European Commission should be turned into a legal inquiry board and given its own staff to better police potential scandals like former President Jose Manuel Barroso's lobbying job with Goldman Sachs, transparency campaigners contend.
Fight Inequality Alliance comes to ‘corporate’ Brussels
Brussels is not a hotbed of popular mobilisation. Few rights struggles start here, but it is one of the biggest power centres in the world and it is one of the main chapters in the book on inequality, write Laura Sullivan and Jenny Ricks.
MEPs need a long hard look in the mirror
MEPs have been quick to point out the reforms needed to improve accountability in the Commission but have not turned the same critical eye on themselves, writes Myriam Douo.
Hollande’s mixed European record
François Hollande marked European politics with his interventions in the Greek crisis, the Ukraine conflict, and international military operations. But he was unable to drive progress on the EU's core projects. EURACTIV France reports.
Emily O’Reilly: Europe could face a ‘Marie Antoinette moment’
EU Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly warned that the bloc needs to create jobs and restore citizen confidence in order to stop a "wave of populism" in the West. EURACTIV Spain reports.
After Barroso row, Juncker proposes tighter EU ethics rules
The European Commission proposed yesterday (23 November) lengthening the period of time its own former leaders must wait before taking up new jobs, following public uproar over its last president going to work for Goldman Sachs.
Lessons from the Barroso affair: How to reform Commission ethics
After months of procrastinating, Jean-Claude Juncker has now suggested extending the cooling off period for former Commission presidents. Unfortunately, the proposal is too weak to prevent scandals like ‘Barrosogate’ from happening again.The Brief: The curious question of the Commission’s missing 0.1%
Jean-Claude Juncker and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi have fallen out over EU fiscal rules, and the European Commission's communications department has got egg on its face.
Barroso says controversy over his new job shows EU is hostile to US
Former European Commission chief José Manuel Barroso today (6 October) said controversy over his appointment to a job at Goldman Sachs revealed anti-US hostility in Europe.
Frans Timmermans: ‘The European project can fail’
Frans Timmermans said Europe’s social contract is broken; social mobility is a thing of the past and we have let our young citizens down. He believes urgent action must be taken to save the European Union. An interview by EURACTIV's partner Ouest-France.
Former Barroso Commissioners still enjoying big paydays
Former Commissioners are enjoying fat transitional allowances, even though they may already be working in the private sector or even if their time at the executive was only fleeting, according to German media. EURACTIV Germany reports.
The Brief: Commission in credibility crisis over Oettinger and Barroso
The European Commission is facing a credibility crisis. If it is not addressed soon, it risks confirming the worst prejudices held about EU officialdom - that it is arrogant, elitist and out of touch.
Barroso cleared of wrongdoing by EU ethics committee
Former European Commission President José Manuel Barroso did not breach EU ethics rules but he may have been unwise to take a controversial top job at US investment bank Goldman Sachs after leaving office, an EU panel said today (31 October).
Parliament freezes Commissioners’ pensions over code of conduct row
EXCLUSIVE / MEPs have responded to the recent conflicts of interest concerning members of the Barroso Commission by freezing part of the allowance granted to former Commissioners at the end of their mandate. EURACTIV France reports.
European socialists want better Cuba relations, US remains problematic
The head of the S&D group has called on the EU to quickly implement its agreement with Cuba and has ramped up the pressure on the US to lift its sanctions against the Caribbean nation. EURACTIV Germany reports.
EU employees set to hand in petition against Barroso
Hundreds of thousands of EU officials and citizens have signed a petition calling for a suspension of pension rights to former European Commission president José Manuel Barroso for taking a job at Goldman Sachs.
Parliament calls for tougher action to stop Commission’s revolving doors
EU lawmakers have demanded the European executive strengthen its code of conduct for Commissioners, following the repeated revolving door scandals involving former members of the Barroso Commission. EURACTIV France reports.