Jacques Barrot takes the lead
(B2) After nearly four years of good and loyal service in charge of Transport, Frenchman Jacques Barrot is today changing portfolio at the European Commission. He will be in charge of Justice and the Interior. The Italian Franco Frattini, in charge of these issues, has indeed returned to the country to take up the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs in the new Berlusconi government. And the President of the Commission, José-Manuel Barroso, preferred to entrust this politically sensitive dossier to the more experienced Frenchman than to the newcomer, Antonio Tajani, until now group leader of Forza Italia in the European Parliament. With the approach of the French presidency, this change is not insignificant either. It will thus be a French commissioner who will be responsible for carrying out the famous "immigration pact", one of Nicolas Sarkozy's priorities for the presidency of the European Union, in the second half of 2008.
Commissioner Barrot, of course, has a little pangs in his heart to leave "his" Transport file. Criticized at the start by some for his French side – he spoke little English when he arrived – or his age – he is the veteran of the Commission – he has nothing to be ashamed of his record. He thus succeeded in passing difficult subjects, such as rail liberalisation, the open skies agreement with the United States or the putting into orbit of Galileo (the European GPS, etc.), without too much difficulty. To its credit, also, certain advances for citizens, such as the rights of air passengers or road safety. In his new functions, where the traditions of the 27 Member States are very different, with issues as delicate as the fight against terrorism, the protection of privacy, the fight against racism, the creation of a European family law , the political tact of the former leader of the CDS, passed to the UMP, will be very useful. The only regret is that he will only hold this position for a year and a half. The mandate of this European Commission ends, in fact, in November 2009.
Nicolas GROS-VERHEYDE.
Published in Ouest-France, May 2008
(*) New competence of the European Union, since the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997, the justice and home affairs sector is in full development.