Working Group on European Integration The European Union needs an efficient and effective Commission Embargo: 20 May 1999 The work of the European Commission involves an increasing number of spheres which directly affect the citizens of the Member States. An efficient and transparent European administration is therefore urgently needed; this represents an opportunity and a challenge for the new Prodi Commission. Organisational reform is crucial if the Commission is to become more efficient and effective. We have a few proposals in this regard: 1. Limit the Commission to 15 Members One Commissioner per Member State. The Amsterdam Treaty already makes it possible to dispense with a second Commissioner for the larger Member States. This restriction to 15 Members should continue to apply even after enlargement. 2. No„Junior“ Commissioners „Junior“ Commissioners without portfolio but with full voting rights conflict with the objectives of a more tightly-run Commission and more efficient decision-making. 3. Greater responsibility of Commissioners for their portfolios Each Commissioner should be personally responsible for taking decisions in his own area of competence. However, each Commissioner must receive regular information in good time to be able to contribute to decisions of the College. Groups consisting of a number of Commissioners should not become decision-making bodies. 4. Stronger political leadership by the Commission President Political leadership and co-ordination is a matter for the Commission President. For this purpose he relies on the General Secretariat of the Commission, which must be expanded into a central policy co-ordination unit(akin to the authorities assigned to heads of government in the Member States). Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, International Policy Analysis Unit, Godesberger Allee 149, 53170 Bonn Tel.:(xx49.228)883-212 or-230, Fax:-625; e-mail: werner.kamppeter@fes.de