30/06/2003 15:32
The German news magazine Der Spiegel has reported that the current German commissioner, Günter Verheugen, responsible for enlargement will be nominated for a second time.
Until now much of the speculation has been focussed on German foreign minister Joschka Fischer who many thought would be sent to Brussels next November - when the new commission starts - to become a commissioner and take over (earlier than planned) the new position of EU foreign minister.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder fuelled much of the speculation himself by talking about Mr Fischer's good qualifications for such a job.
However, if Günter Verheugen takes on the job as commissioner again - Mr Fischer's way to Brussels could be blocked.
According to the Nice Treaty, under which the Union currently operates, each country is entitled to just one commissioner and the term runs for five years.
At the Thessaloniki Summit on 20 June, Chancellor Schröder was reported to have said: "he [Verheugen] will stay commissioner", writes der Spiegel.
For his part, Mr Fischer was a member of the Convention on Europe's future. It was he who suggested a diplomatic machinery to back up the extremely powerful post.
The question of who shall be the EU's foreign minister is now wide open again. In 2006, when the new constitution is likely to go into force, the whole political map may have changed - and other names are likely to be in the hat along side Mr Fischer's.
Until now much of the speculation has been focussed on German foreign minister Joschka Fischer who many thought would be sent to Brussels next November - when the new commission starts - to become a commissioner and take over (earlier than planned) the new position of EU foreign minister.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder fuelled much of the speculation himself by talking about Mr Fischer's good qualifications for such a job.
However, if Günter Verheugen takes on the job as commissioner again - Mr Fischer's way to Brussels could be blocked.
According to the Nice Treaty, under which the Union currently operates, each country is entitled to just one commissioner and the term runs for five years.
At the Thessaloniki Summit on 20 June, Chancellor Schröder was reported to have said: "he [Verheugen] will stay commissioner", writes der Spiegel.
For his part, Mr Fischer was a member of the Convention on Europe's future. It was he who suggested a diplomatic machinery to back up the extremely powerful post.
The question of who shall be the EU's foreign minister is now wide open again. In 2006, when the new constitution is likely to go into force, the whole political map may have changed - and other names are likely to be in the hat along side Mr Fischer's.
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