Monday 6 October 2008

A new EU Commissioner: Baroness Ashton of Upholland (updated)

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For a newer post on Baroness Ashton please also read this follow-up article.
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The peoples of Europe will have to learn a new name - Baroness Ashton of Upholland (first name: Catherine) - our new EU Commissioner, hopefully not for trade...

Sorry for making fun, but if you follow Nosemonkey, you will have seen in a recent article that it's quite unlikely that more than 5 people outside Brussels will learn her name.

New Europe informs that EU Commission president Barroso has confirmed her on Friday.

That she is absolutely not qualified for that task is easy to recognise: Nosemonkey rightly mocks her profile, while Jon Worth (who knows all EU commissioners by name and picture!!), admits that he does know almost nothing about her.

Jon supposes that she might not become trade commissioner but will receive a less relevant post, something highly recommandable considering the absence of any EU or WTO experience of the Baroness. I am very much in favour of promoting women, but I am very much against promoting lack of experience with European matters for European posts.

Therefore, please allow me to say:

Aaaahhhhh, why is the EU so damn unable to attract qualified people?

Aaaahhhhh!!!



Read Jon's very interesting follow-up articles:

- Can Baroness Ashton even become a European Commissioner?
- Ken Livingstone to the European Commission!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ealy Freya Fresena. Lever dod as Slaav! I cannot accept these British customs and an ursupator as new Trade Commissioner. The European Union is no real democracy. It is a democracy in the making why foundations for the future are laid down.

"Her nomination as European Commissioner is another unelected appointment in a political career noteworthy for never actually having been elected to any public office."

Note that TRADE policy is beyond parliament scrutiny which is in particular dangerous in the context of new treaties as ACTA. These trade treaties circumvent the legislative compatences of the Parliament and reach background deals with the Americans.

Anonymous said...

From what I understand it's been already confirm with President B. on Friday that she will keep the trade portfolio- after all the UK won't easily accept to lose such a strong Directorate-General...