European Commission President Romano Prodi this week spoke out in favour of calls from smaller member states for every EU country to retain the right to have one Commissioner, even in an enlarged Union.

Date: 02/11/00

"The Commission is strongly in favour of one Commissioner per state," he said, explaining that only this could guarantee a voice for even the smallest members. But he said changes would be needed in the way the Commission is structured, including stronger powers for the president, in an EU of up to 28 members. Prodi also urged member states to give up their right of veto in a wide range of policy areas, arguing that it was "amanacle chaining Europe".