ENLARGEMENT/COMMISSION: PRODI LOOKING FOR AT LEAST THREE WOMEN AMONG NEW COMMISSIONERS.

Mr Prodi received Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Medgyessy on December 1 in Brussels, and Slovenian Premier Anton Rop on December 2. He is due to meet Slovakia's Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda on December 3 and the Czech Republic's Vladimir Spidla on December 10. Speaking after the talks with Mr Rop, the Commission President confirmed that the issue of the new Commissioners was under discussion in these meetings, and had already been broached with Polish Prime Minister Leszek Miller. He recalled that he had to draw up the list (of prospective Commissioners) by the end of February so that the European Parliament could conduct hearings.

Mr Prodi's comments implied that the countries lining up to join the EU in May 2004 should not necessarily expect to have their first choice installed as Commissioner. Mr Prodi said...