Brussels - The composition of the next European Commission, the European Union's executive arm, headed towards completion Tuesday with a handful of formal nominations from the last four member states. The latest announcements were expected to give way to fierce in-fighting over which country should get the most powerful posts, including economy- and energy-related portfolios.
The key appointments of the day came from the Netherlands and Denmark.
The Dutch government confirmed outgoing competition commissioner Neelie Kroes, while the government of Denmark picked Connie Hedegaard, the Danish climate and energy minister who will host next month's key UN summit on climate change in Copenhagen.
Kroes, dubbed "Steely Neelie" after launching anti-trust inquiries into major international corporations such as software giant Microsoft and computer chipmaker Intel, would like to retain her powerful job. But she faces formidable opposition from other big member states such as Spain.
Hedegaard, for her part, is widely expected to get the climate action portfolio, a new post created by Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.
Italy, meanwhile, confirmed its outgoing commissioner, Antonio Tajani, who currently holds the transport portfolio, while Malta nominated the island-state's social policy minister, John Dalli, to replace Fisheries and Maritime Affairs commissioner Joe Borg.
All but two of the EU's 27 member states - France and Spain - have now formalized their nominations.
France is widely expected to nominate its former foreign minister, Michel Barnier, while Spain will likely confirm Joaquin Almunia, the current commissioner for economic and monetary affairs.
Uncertainty remains over the Romanian candidate, who had been appointed by the country's previous government.
Commission President Barroso told the European Parliament that all countries had now chosen their commissioners, and officials in Brussels said the president was expected to start discussing the distribution of portfolios in the coming days.
"This exercise will be completed in due time," a commission spokesman said when asked whether a deadline had been set.
The European Parliament, which has the power to reject a commission team if it deems it unfit, is expected to start holding hearings with individual commissioners on January 11.
While the new commission will only be able to formally assume office once those hearings have been concluded, one of its most prominent members will already have started work.
Catherine Ashton, a Briton chosen by EU member governments to become the bloc's new foreign policy supremo, is due to take office on Tuesday, the day the Lisbon Treaty enters into force.
Ashton, a former trade commissioner who will now also act as commission vice-president, is due to brief the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee on Wednesday.
That meeting is expected to expose her to criticisms that she lacks the experience needed for such an important office.
