European Parliament resolution of 13 January 1999 on the institutional implications of the approval by the European Parliament of the President of the Commission and the independence of the members of the Commission.

Table portraying the votes cast in the European Parliament since 1995 approving the President-designate of the European Commission as well as the Commission-designate.

In this interview excerpt, Jacques Delors, President of the Commission of the European Communities from 1985 to 1995, looks back at the circumstances surrounding his appointment as President of the Commission of the European Communities in 1985, and again in 1989 and 1993.

In this interview excerpt, Wilfried Martens, Belgian Prime Minister from 1979 to March 1981 and December 1981 to 1992, describes the appointment process in Belgium for senior European officials such as European Commissioners or judges in the Court of Justice.

On 31 October 2013, in the run-up to the May 2014 European elections, the French newspaper Le Monde comments on the idea put forward by Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament, to ‘politicise’ the appointment of José Manuel Barroso’s successor as President of the European Commission.

In a special section for the 2014 European elections, Toute l’Europe, an online information portal on European issues, explains the procedure for the appointment of the President of the European Commission.

In a policy paper dated 2 June 2014, Yves Bertoncini, Director of Notre Europe — Jacques Delors Institute, and Thierry Chopin, Director of Studies at the Robert Schuman Foundation, analyse the appointments made since 1979 to head the European executive.

European Parliament Resolution of 21 April 1994 on the investiture of the Commission.

On 26 July 1994, the representatives of the governments of the Member States of the European Communities decide to nominate Jacques Santer, former Luxembourg Prime Minister, as the person that the governments of the Member States intend to appoint as President of the European Commission.

On 21 July 1994, in a plenary sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Michel Rocard, former French Prime Minister, Member of the European Parliament and member of the Group of the Party of European Socialists (PES), comments on Jacques Santer’s appointment as President of the next European Commission.

On 21 July 1994, in a plenary sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Ben Fayot, Luxembourg Member of the European Parliament and member of the Group of the Party of European Socialists (PES), comments on the appointment of fellow countryman Jacques Santer as President of the next European Commission.

On 21 July 1994, in a plenary sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Jacques Santer, nominated President of the next European Commission, defends his appointment before the Members of the European Parliament.

On 21 July 1994, in a plenary sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Klaus Kinkel, German Foreign Minister and President-in-Office of the Council of the European Union, comments on Jacques Santer’s appointment as President of the next European Commission.

On 21 July 1994, in a plenary sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Pauline Green, Member of the European Parliament and Chairman of the Group of the Party of European Socialists (PES), comments on the appointment of Jacques Santer as President of the next European Commission.

On 21 July 1994, in a plenary sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Wilfried Martens, Member of the European Parliament and Chairman of the Group of the European People’s Party (EPP), comments on the appointment of Jacques Santer as President of the next European Commission.

On 21 July 1994, in a plenary sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Gijs de Vries, Member of the European Parliament and Chairman of the Group of the European Liberal Democratic and Reformist Party (ELDR), comments on the appointment of Jacques Santer as President of the next European Commission.

In this interview, Jacques Santer, former Luxembourg Prime Minister and President of the European Commission, recalls the debates in the European Parliament, in July 1994, on his appointment as President of the European Commission.

On 18 January 1995, in a plenary sitting of the European Parliament, MEPs approve the appointment of Jacques Santer as President of the next European Commission.

European Parliament Decision of 18 January 1995 approving the nominated Commission.

On 18 January 1995, the European Parliament approves the new Commission presided over by Jacques Santer.

In this interview excerpt, Willy Claes, Belgian Foreign Minister from 1992 to 1994, describes his memories of the discussions on the appointment of a new President of the European Commission at the Corfu Summit in June 1994. Jacques Santer, Luxembourg Prime Minister from 1984 to 1995, was ultimately appointed President of the European Commission and served in this role from 1995 to 1999.

Declaration of the Berlin European Council on the nomination of the Commission President.

European Parliament resolution of 5 May 1999 on the nomination of the Commission President.

Romano Prodi, President designate of the European Commission, presents the new team of Commissioners that the Member States, with his agreement, will be proposing to the European Parliament for approval.

Speech by Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission to the European Parliament, 14 September 1999.

Speech by Romano Prodi, President-designate of the European Commission: Compromise Resolution on the 'Prodi Commission' (Strasbourg, 15 September 1999).

The European Parliament approves the Prodi Commission.

On 15 September 1999 during a meeting in Strasbourg under the presidency of Nicole Fontaine, Members of the European Parliament voted in favour of the composition and the mandate of the Commission presided over by the Italian, Romano Prodi. His team took over from Jacques Santer's Commission, which collectively resigned on 15 March 1999.

In an interview following the vote of approval on the Prodi Commission which took place in Strasbourg, the new European Union Commissioner for Enlargement - the German, Günter Verheugen - highlighted the European Parliament's support of the new executive and also referred to the Parliament's desire to strengthen its powers.

European Parliament Resolution of 15 September 1999 on the 'Prodi Commission'.

European Parliament Decision of 15 September 1999 electing the nominee Commission.

On 15 September 1999, following the vote of approval by MEPs of the new Commission, Nicole Fontaine, President of the European Parliament, holds a press conference with Romano Prodi, new President of the European Commission, at which she sets out their priorities for interinstitutional cooperation.

Decision of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of the European Communities of 15 September 1999, appointing the President and the Members of the Commission of the European Communities.

Address delivered by the President of the European Commission at the Court of Justice of the European Communities, where the Members of the Commission are taking an oath following their nomination.

On 17 September 1999, Romano Prodi delivers an address to the Court of Justice of the European Communities, Luxembourg, on the occasion of the swearing-in ceremony of the new Commission. The members of the Prodi Commission are seated in the front row of the audience.

Two months prior to the appointment by the Council, meeting at Heads of State or Government level, of José Manuel Durão Barroso as President of the European Commission on 29 June 2004, the French daily newspaper Le Monde reflects on the laborious attempts to reach agreement on a suitable successor to Romano Prodi at a time when potential candidates abound.

Decision of the Council, meeting in the composition of Heads of State or Government of 29 June 2004 nominating the person it intends to appoint as President of the Commission.

On 29 June 2004, José Manuel Durão Barroso, Prime Minister of Portugal, informs the Portuguese nation of his intention to accept the invitation to become the next President of the European Commission which will be extended to him that evening by the Heads of State or Government meeting in Brussels at the Council of the European Union.

José Manuel Barroso, Portuguese Prime Minister and President-designate of the European Commission, meets Romano Prodi at the meeting of the Heads of State or Government held in Brussels on 29 June 2004.

In his address to the plenary sitting of the European Parliament held on 21 July 2004 in Strasbourg, José Manuel Barroso asks the European Parliament to approve his appointment as President of the European Commission.

On 22 July 2004, the European Parliament, at a part-session in Strasbourg, elects José Manuel Barroso as President of the European Commission.

On 12 August 2004, José Manuel Barroso, President-designate of the European Commission announces to the press the policy portfolios he has allocated to each member of his team and the main changes that have been introduced to the new Commission.

On 13 September 2004, the Council adopts by common accord with the President-designate of the Commission, José Manuel Barroso, the list of the other eminent persons whom the Council intends to appoint as Members of the Commission.

On 27 September 2004, before the European Parliament’s vote of approval on the Barroso Commission, due to take place in late October, the Luxembourg daily newspaper La Voix du Luxembourg reviews the chances of success of the various Commissioners during their forthcoming hearings before the Members of the European Parliament.

In his address to the plenary sitting of the European Parliament held on 26 October 2004 in Strasbourg, José Manuel Barroso calls on the European Parliament to approve the new European Commission.

On 30 October 2004, in an interview for the Luxembourg daily newspaper Le Quotidien, Viviane Reding, Luxembourg Commissioner, gives her opinion on the European Parliament’s refusal to approve the Barroso Commission after the comments made by the Italian Commissioner, Rocco Buttiglione, before the Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.

On 4 November 2004, President-designate José Manuel Barroso submits a new proposal for the composition of the future Commission.

On 5 November 2004, the Council adopts by common accord with the President-designate of the Commission, José Manuel Barroso, the ‘revised’ list of the other eminent persons whom the Council intends to appoint as Members of the Commission.

In his editorial of 9 November 2004, Ferdinando Riccardi, Chief Editor of the Bulletin Quotidien Europe, is optimistic about the chances of the second proposed Barroso Commission receiving the approval of the European Parliament. He also reviews the cases of Commissioners Neelie Kroes and Franco Frattini.

Following the postponement of the vote of approval, José Manuel Barroso asks the European Parliament, during the plenary sitting of 17 November 2004, to give its full support to the new European Commission.

European Parliament resolution of 18 November 2004 on the election of the new Commission headed by José Manuel Barroso.

European Parliament Decision of 18 November 2004 electing the nominated Commission.

View of the European Parliament, meeting in plenary sitting, during the vote on the approval of the European Commission presided by José Manuel Barroso on 18 November 2004.

Electronic display board showing how the European Parliament, meeting in plenary sitting, voted on the approval of the Barrasso Commission on 18 November 2004. Result of the vote: 449 to 149, with 82 abstentions.

On 19 November 2004, the Council appoints the President and Members of the Commission for the period from 22 November 2004 to 31 October 2009.

Statement by José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, at his swearing-in ceremony before the Court of Justice on 21 January 2005.

In this interview excerpt, Wilfried Martens, Belgian Prime Minister from 1979 to March 1981 and December 1981 to 1992 and President of the European People’s Party (EPP) since 1990, discusses the circumstances surrounding the appointment of José Manuel Durão Barroso as President of the European Commission in 2004.

On 17 September 2009, the European Parliament approves the appointment of José Manuel Barroso for a second five-year term as President of the Commission.

On 27 May 2014, the Conference of Presidents, taking full account of the results of the European elections and with the aim of determining the candidate to become the next Commission President, invites Jean-Claude Juncker to attempt to form a parliamentary coalition.

On 27 May 2014, the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, invites the Heads of State or Government to analyse the results of the European elections that took place the previous week. This meeting is an opportunity to decide on the procedure for the appointment of the President of the European Commission.

On 27 May 2014, the Luxembourg newspaper Le Quotidien speculates on how the rise in Eurosceptic parties in the European elections might affect European leaders, especially with regard to the way in which the European Union is governed and the choice of the future European Commission.

On 28 May 2014, a few days after the European elections which resulted in a victory for the European People’s Party (EPP), the French daily newspaper Le Monde analyses the main issues at stake in the forthcoming political negotiations for the appointment of the new President of the European Commission. Former Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, who heads the EPP list, is the favourite to replace Portugal’s José Manuel Barroso.

On 28 May 2014, the Luxembourg daily newspaper Tageblatt outlines the main positions of Members of the European Parliament and Heads of State or Government with regard to the next steps that will lead to the appointment of the new President of the European Commission.

On 2 June 2014, the Luxembourg newspaper Le Quotidien reports on the misgivings that former Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker has to address in his bid to become President of the new European Commission.

On 11 June 2014, the conservative daily newspaper La Libre Belgique examines the debates over the candidacy of former Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker for President of the European Commission and comments on the power struggle between the Heads of State or Government of the EU and the European Parliament over the appointment of the next President of the Commission.

The Heads of State or Government, meeting in Brussels on 26 and 27 June 2014, agree to propose Jean-Claude Juncker to the European Parliament as candidate for President of the European Commission. In this context, the European Council approves the strategic agenda of key priorities for the next five years and invites the EU institutions and the Member States to fully implement these priorities in their work.

European Council Decision of 27 June 2014 proposing Jean-Claude Juncker to the European Parliament as candidate for President of the European Commission.

On 28 June 2014, the Belgian daily newspaper Le Soir analyses the consequences of the European Council’s decision to propose the candidacy of former Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker as President of the European Commission.

On 28 June 2014, the French daily newspaper Le Monde comments on the decision taken by the European Council in Ypres to propose former Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker to the European Parliament as the next President of the European Commission. The article identifies a turning point in the workings and approach of the European Union.

In his paper dated 23 July 2014, Yves Bertoncini, Director of Notre Europe — Jacques Delors Institute, notes that Jean-Claude Juncker’s election to the post of President of the European Commission represents a new stage in the historical process of rebalancing the powers of the Member States and the European Parliament.

On 10 September 2014, Jean-Claude Juncker, the new President-elect of the European Commission, holds a press conference on the allocation of portfolios to the appointed Commissioners, thereby unveiling his team and the new organisational structure of the next Commission.

On 10 September 2014, the newly appointed European Commission publishes its organisation chart showing the names and areas of responsibility of its members.

On 4 March 2015, the European Commission publishes a group photo of the new Commission, which took office on 1 November 2014.