Mr Romano Prodi was yesterday nominated as the president of the European Commission in place of Mr Jacques Santer who resigned last week, along with all other commissioners, after a report on corruption and nepotism criticised them.
Mr Prodi, a former prime minister of Italy, has been given a clear mandate by the heads of government meeting in Berlin to carry out a radical reform of the EU bureaucracy in Brussels. Although nominated as Commission President, Mr Prodi will not take up the position until either July or September.
His nomination at the summit was something of a theatrical coup that put a positive gloss on the first day of the meeting for the German hosts. The agenda was rearranged by a confident Chancellor, Mr Gerhard Schroder, to produce the surprise announcement that Mr Prodi's appointment had been endorsed unanimously.
The decision, taken in restricted session with only the leaders present, was on the proposal of Mr Schroder, who reported to fellow-leaders that in his pre-summit tour of capitals Mr Prodi had emerged as clearly acceptable to all. He said Mr Prodi's mandate would be to bring to the Commission "more transparency, more candour and closer ties to the citizens".
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, described Mr Prodi as the ideal choice to face the problems faced by the EU.
A clearly delighted Mr Schroder said later that the appointment reflected "a clear statement of the capacity of the Union to act" and a real trust by leaders in the power of Europe.
Mr Schroder described Mr Prodi as a man with a rich political experience, experienced in the handling of an administration, and unusual in the depth of his economic understanding.
And he paid tribute to Mr Santer, describing him as a victim of circumstances. "In a very honourable way he drew the consequences of a situation for which he had no need to take personal responsibility."
When Mr Prodi would take office, he said, would be largely a matter for the Parliament and its procedures.
The scenario for the succession, largely based on a compromise proposal by the Benelux countries and using the Amsterdam Treaty procedures, is complicated. Mr Prodi will come to a special summit of EU leaders, probably some time in April, according to Mr Schroder, to agree a programme of reform for the Commission.
His name will then go before MEPs for ratification following which he will, probably in May, begin his consultations with member-states about their nominees to fill the jobs in the rest of the Commission.
At about that stage Mr Santer is likely to slip off the stage to conduct his campaign for election as an MEP himself.
As Mr Prodi's full team will not be approved by Parliament until the new MEPs return after the election in July at the earliest, it will not assume its functions until August or September. The old Commission, minus Mr Santer, will continue to serve until then under the leadership of its current vice-presidents, Mr Manuel Marin and Sir Leon Brittan.
Earlier the President of the European Parliament, Mr Jose Maria Gil-Robles, pledged to expedite hearings on the new Commission.
Mr Prodi will be the second Italian president of the Commission.
The leaders of three of the largest groups in the European Parliament last night fired a shot across the bows of Mr Prodi's nomination.
They warned in a statement that they expected the Commission to be replaced faster than EU leaders have proposed, and certainly ahead of the European elections in June. The statement, issued by the leaders of the European People's Party, the Liberals, and the Greens, Mr Wilfried Martens, Mr Pat Cox and Ms Magda Alvoet, also warned it was "unimaginable" that the French Commissioner, Ms Edith Cresson, should remain in office.
The three groups represent nearly 40 per cent of MEPs.
