"Mr Barroso has heard the liberal message, namely that the liberal members of the Commission should obtain portfolios which allow them to play a visibly significant role in the future Commission."
Liberal Commissioners will be in charge of important portfolios such as economic and monetary affairs, trade and home affairs, and two of the liberal Commissioners are also assigned the role of Vice-President. ELDR President Neyts commented that "This enables liberals to once again be in the driving seat for ensuring both individual and economic freedoms as the backbone of development, and that is promising for the EU". President Neyts moreover expressed satisfaction over the fact that European Liberal Democrats once again prove themselves as frontrunners in gender balance: "Four out of eight liberal Commissioners are female, and that clearly shows that we liberals not only talk about gender equality, but also practice it in reality".
European Liberal Democrats congratulate the liberal nominees and trust that they will prove their capacities and skills in the hearings of the European Parliament that has to approve the candidates as proposed by Barroso. Together with the liberal group in the European Parliament, this Commission has the potential of being the driving force for European prosperity and integration.

Liberal Commissioner nominees and portfolios: Siim Kallas (Vice President): Transport Neelie Kroes (Vice President): Digital agenda Máire Geoghegan Quinn: Research, science & innovation Karel De Gucht: Trade Cecilia Malmström: Home affairs Janez Potocnik: Environment Olli Rehn: Economic and monetary affairs Androulla Vassiliou: Education & culture, multilingualism and youth