Barroso denies reacting slowly to economic crisis: Interview

Some opinions about José Manuel Barroso

“I have an excellent experience in working with Jose Manuel Barroso during these months in crisis. He is consistent in defending the integrity of the EU and leading the Commission through current turbulent times.”
– Alexandr Vondra, Czech deputy prime minister in charge of European affairs

“Barroso's response to the crisis has been more spin than substance. He wants to give the impression of doing much more than he really is. He claims his Economic Recovery Plan is investing over 3% of gross domestic product in growth when the real figure is much, much lower. Europe is investing less than half of what Obama is doing for the US. Frankly I think he has put more effort into safeguarding his own job than in fighting for the jobs of European citizens.

“Barroso's response to the recession is too little, too late. His main concern seems to not to provide leadership but to avoid criticism from any member state government. Now we have more than -4% growth in Europe we know this means 25 million unemployed by the end of the year. My question to Barroso is where is the new plan for recovery and to stop mass unemployment?”
– Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, president of the Party of European Socialists

“He did what was possible in the current situation, he achieved the maximum of cohesion possible in this moment. But everybody was surprised by this crisis. He started his term when everybody reproached to the EU of standing for overregulation – now some criticize him for not producing enough regulations, forgetting the situation of five years ago.”
– Wilfried Martens, president of the European People's Party

“One thing that no Commission president can do is to reconcile positions of the 27 member states, when they are very different. But what he recognized is that the differences between Britain and others were not dictated by ideology but by the fact that the UK was affected earlier by the crisis. The UK was earlier and deeper in recession than Germany was. Then he said we leave national governments to adopt recovery programmes, but every programme will have to be approved by the Commission. The Commission succeeded in being the ringmaster.”
– Graham Watson, leader of the Liberal Democrat MEPs

“All in all, the Commission did well on the financial crisis, although it started a bit late. I remember last autumn some colleagues agitating and clamouring more action or gestures from Commission to respond to the crisis and the president being very prudent on doing anything before consulting the member states. Sarkozy led, but at least Barroso was in all the meetings.”
– European commissioner

“Barroso had a timid start on the financial crisis since he feared that anything that the Commission would propose in terms of financial markets regulation would upset the British. He waited until the Brits, step by step, bank failure after bank failure, started seeing the need for regulation. He was true to his own slogan, ‘don't upset anybody, in particular no big member state'.”
– Prime minister of an old member state

“Barroso exposed himself dangerously by insisting on approval of a €5 billion extra funding for energy and rural development projects, as part of a wider EU stimulus package. There was a big risk that the funding would not be approved but Barroso made so much public noise about it that he would have lost face if it had not been approved. He went against a sword on this one – or perhaps Catherine Day did.”
– Prime minister of a new member state

“Sure he does not move a finger before asking the member states. Why do you think he was given this job? And why do you think he will be reappointed?”
– European affairs minister

“Looking at Barroso's record as Commission president, it should be obvious that he doesn't deserve another mandate. The Commission is supposed to be 'guardian of the treaties' but he has turned it from watchdog to Council lapdog. In trying to please the most dominant member states and most influential industries, Barroso has neglected the environment, social issues and individual rights. A fine example is his stuttering response to the financial crisis: first inaction and then an EU recovery plan of member state and industry pet projects instead of real green investment for jobs and sustainability.”
– Daniel Cohn-Bendit, co-chairman of the Greens-European Free Alliance MEPs

“It's not relevant if he did well or not as Commission president. What is really relevant is that there is no other candidate for the presidency of the Commission from the centre-right.”
– European affairs minister

“He is a very effective manager. He is structured, well organized, well briefed.”
– European commissioner

“He's grown as president. His first change of approach was to realise he had to be a creature of all in the Parliament, not just the EPP.”
– Andrew Duff, UK Liberal Democrat MEP