BARROSO SAYS FORMATION OF NEW COMMISSION GOING WELL

The new president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, takes up office at the start of November. On Thursday he said he may be able to name his entire team and the jobs they will be holding as early as August 23. It seems he will be endorsing national governments' choices for their representatives in Brussels with very few exceptions. Very little remains undecided. The Danes are hesitating between two candidates, and doubt remains over who will be the next Dutch, Latvian and Lithuanian commissioners.

There is no confirmation either that Barroso's stated ambition to have a third of the commission - eight members - drawn from the ranks of Europe's female politicians will be realised.