Eurolink News

Time to knuckle down, MEPs tell commissioners (9th February, 2010)

February 9, 2010 at 6:58 pm Leave a comment

After a delay of almost four months, the 27 members of the new European Commission have finally been given the green light to start work after they were formally approved by MEPs in Strasbourg. The changeover was slowed down by several factors including the late ratification of the Lisbon Treaty in Ireland and the replacement of Bulgaria’s original nominee commissioner.
The commission is in charge of drafting and enforcing all EU legislation and  will run for five years until 31st October 2014. Speaking after the commission was voted in by an overwhelming majority of MEPs, European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek said it was vital that all the EU institutions were ‘working at full speed in order to overcome the economic crisis’.
He was echoed by several Irish MEPs, who urged the new commission to get down to work immediately. ‘There’s an immense amount of legislation to be brought forward – we’ve had a political vacuum since November at a time when Europe could ill-afford it,’ said Northwest MEP Pat ‘the Cope’ Gallagher. But he expressed faith in the ability of the new commission to confront the challenges ahead. ‘I believe this new commission will hit the ground running and lead from the front- they will initiate measures that will help to create jobs in the smarter, greener, cleaner economy,’ he added.

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