European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and EU Council chief Herman Van Rompuy have decided who will speak on which subject when they both represent the union at international meetings such as the G20.
“The two presidents have decided that the EU delegation will be composed of both presidents in one single delegation. That’s quite normal, as their roles are complementary,” a spokeswoman for the European Commission said during a press briefing on Thursday (18 March).
One of the novelties introduced by the EU’s new treaty is that the permanent president of the EU Council, former Belgian premier Herman Van Rompuy, also represents the bloc abroad in foreign policy and security matters.
But in other areas, such as climate change, President Barroso will speak on behalf of the 27-member club.
In areas where the two overlap, for instance energy, which is both a security and a commission policy area, they will decide on a case-by-case basis who will take the floor.
“These practical arrangements will ensure full coherence, complementarity and clarity in the way we approach international gatherings, in reaching our objective that the EU should speak with one voice,” Pia Ahrenskilde-Hansen, the commission’s spokeswoman said.
She rejected the suggestion that Mr Barroso’s powers were being chipped away by Mr Van Rompuy, who has so far kept a low public profile, and pointed to the obligations set out by the EU treaty.