European Commission vice-president Guenter Verheugen has questioned the need for small EU countries to have their own member of the European Commission. Malta, the smallest state of the block currently has Dr. Joe Borg as its commissioner. He is responsible for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs.
Mr Verheugen, who is Germany's commissioner for Industry, suggested on German ZDF television on Wednesday that small member states could have deputy commisioners rather than fully-fledged members of a future reformed EU commission, reported EUObserver.
"A small member state would benefit more from providing a deputy commissioner in an important area than from providing a commissioner dealing with a marginal area," he said, adding that "We need an efficient, small and highly competent commission."
According to EUObserver the commissioner said he made the proposals as part of the debate on the possible revival of the shelved EU constitution. The constitution also seeks to boost the efficiency of the commission by reducing its size, however it treats small and big member states equally, by introducing a system of equal rotation for a limited number of commission seats � capped at two thirds of EU member countries.
EUObserver furthermore reported that the proposal of "deputy" posts for small member states is likely to stir anger among smaller members such as Belgium, Luxembourg, Slovakia and Hungary which fought hard to get the equal rotation principle in the constitution text.
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