The revised team of European commissioners headed by Jose Manuel Durao Barroso was approved by the European Parliament (EP) on Thursday.

The EP voted 449 in favor, 149 against with 82 abstentions.

Barroso's European Commission (EC) was originally scheduled to take office on Nov. 1. But the EC president was forced to withdraw his original team on Oct. 27 when the EP threatened to veto it.

Many EP members felt the proposed commissioner for justice and home affairs, Rocco Buttiglione, was wholly inappropriate for the post -- given his espoused views on homosexuality and single mothers -- and that a number of other commissioner choices had conflicts of interest with their proposed positions.

This plunged the EU into uncharted waters and led to the outgoing commission of former EC president Romano Prodi having to stay on as caretaker of the EU's executive arm until the situation was resolved.

The new executive commission will face many challenges, such as promoting EU economic competitiveness, providing more jobs and reinforcing the development of the legal system.

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini replaced Buttiglione as EC justice commissioner.
 
(CRI.com, Xinhua News Agency November 19, 2004)