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| Crunch vote on new EU Commission | Crunch vote on new EU Commission |
| (21 minutes later) | |
| The new 27-strong team of European commissioners is expected to get the approval of Euro MPs in a vote shortly. | The new 27-strong team of European commissioners is expected to get the approval of Euro MPs in a vote shortly. |
| Each commissioner has already faced a hearing in the European Parliament. | Each commissioner has already faced a hearing in the European Parliament. |
| The Commission is the EU's executive arm, responsible for drafting EU laws and ensuring that the 27 member states comply with the EU treaties. | The Commission is the EU's executive arm, responsible for drafting EU laws and ensuring that the 27 member states comply with the EU treaties. |
| Bulgaria's first nominee, Rumiana Jeleva, failed to convince MEPs about her suitability for the job, so she was replaced by Kristalina Georgieva. | Bulgaria's first nominee, Rumiana Jeleva, failed to convince MEPs about her suitability for the job, so she was replaced by Kristalina Georgieva. |
| The parliament's vote on the whole Commission was delayed by three months because ratification of the Lisbon Treaty was not completed until November. | The parliament's vote on the whole Commission was delayed by three months because ratification of the Lisbon Treaty was not completed until November. |
| Under the treaty, the number of commissioners will be reduced by a third by 2014. So this will be the last time MEPs vote for a Commission with candidates drawn from every member state. | Under the treaty, the number of commissioners will be reduced by a third by 2014. So this will be the last time MEPs vote for a Commission with candidates drawn from every member state. |
| The president of the Commission, veteran Portuguese conservative Jose Manuel Barroso, has already been approved for a second term by the EU government leaders. | The president of the Commission, veteran Portuguese conservative Jose Manuel Barroso, has already been approved for a second term by the EU government leaders. |
| The new line-up includes the UK's Baroness Ashton, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs. The new post, created by the Lisbon Treaty, also makes her a Commission vice-president. | The new line-up includes the UK's Baroness Ashton, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs. The new post, created by the Lisbon Treaty, also makes her a Commission vice-president. |
| MEPs cannot vote on individual commissioners - only on the whole Commission team. But they can force changes in its composition by rejecting the whole team. That happened in 2004, when Italy withdrew its commissioner-designate for justice, Rocco Buttiglione. MEPs disliked his opposition to gay rights and conservative attitude towards women. |