EUROPEAN COUNCIL: JOSE MANUEL DURAO BARROSO CONFIRMED FOR COMMISSION PRESIDENCY.

Formally, the Heads of State and Government adopted three distinct Council Decisions: the first, to be forwarded to the EP for approval, nominates Jose Manuel Durao Barroso as President of the Commission from November 1, 2004 to October 31, 2009; the second extends the nomination of Mr Solana as Council Secretary General and High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy for a further period of five years effective from October 18, 2004; the third extends the nomination of Mr de Boissieu as Deputy Secretary-General of the Council for a further five years from October 18.

In addition, the Heads of State and Government adopted a declaration concerning the transition towards the nomination of a future EU Foreign Affairs Minister. The text indicates that, in agreement with the President-designate of the Council, the position will be assigned to Javier Solana on the day of entry into force of the Constitution. They also underline the commitment of Member States to work in support of Mr Solana during the transition period leading up to the establishment of the function of Minister of Foreign Affairs. Finally, they invite the President of the Commission and Mr Solana to work in concert and organise their working relations in a way that will ensure a smooth and efficient transition and to take necessary measures to that end.

Parliament.

In the wake of the nomination, outgoing European Parliament President Pat Cox invited Mr Durao Barroso to hold talks with leaders of political groups as soon as possible, before the formal plenary session. He himself met the Portuguese Prime Minister during the morning of June 30.

Mr Barroso's nomination was immediately greeted with the enthusiastic accolades of the EP's conservative group the European People's Party (EPP), which held its first meeting since the European elections on June 30 and July 1 in Brussels. EPP chairman Hans-Gert Poettering declared that Mr Barroso's nomination was "a positive sign for democracy in Europe", applauding the fact that the candidate "is from the political family which won the European elections". Meanwhile, EPP President Wilfried Martens, while expressing his "great satisfaction", deemed it "quite surprising that the few dissenting voices on this matter are presenting unsubstantiated threats, in an effort to undermine the widespread support towards the nomination of Mr Barroso". Mr Martens said he hoped that "in the end, these voices will come in tune with the rest...