Barroso keeps door open for Irish commissioner[fr][de] 

Barroso's comments came ahead of a two-day European summit this week, at which EU leaders will hear Ireland's proposals to solve the institutional crisis triggered by its rejection of the Lisbon Treaty in a June referendum.

"If we make a special effort this week to get Ireland to ratify, at the same time we can't jeopardise the system which we currently have," Barroso said at a press conference in Brussels on Tuesday (8 December). "All we can do is maintain whatever system is in force until there is a change."

One of Ireland's demands is that every country must keep a representative at the European Commission after the Lisbon Treat's entry into force. The "special effort" that EU leaders could make would be to maintain the current principle of "one commissioner per country" by agreeing to amend the Lisbon Treaty, which foresees a Commission scaled down to 18 members.

However, with the rejection of the Lisbon Treaty, it is the current Nice Treaty which remains in force. And Nice stated that the Commission must be to be scaled down once the EU reaches 27 members (its current size).

"We have Nice and then, at the end of the ratification process, we have Lisbon. And we must avoid any decision which would create problems in terms of continuity," Barroso said.

All countries may not approve the retention of the 'one commissioner per country' principle, however. The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg are said to oppose the idea, arguing that a Commission of 27 members or more following future enlargements will be unworkable.

"We'll have to wait and see what the European Council will decide. I don't even know if there is going to be agreement on a roadmap on the Irish issue," Barroso said. "But if there is an agreement, one thing that has to be clear is that we musn't create any more confusion in the minds of citizens."

Speaking at the European Policy Centre (EPC) in Brussels on Monday (8 December), Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said no decision had been taken yet. "We haven't decided to hold a referendum. The government hasn't taken that decision," he said.

Responding to a question from EurActiv as to whether it would be possible to hold a second referendum ahead of the European elections in June 2009, Martin said: "Things will be clearer later in the week."