Jacques Barrot, who is currently in charge of regional policy in the Brussels executive, is expected to be given an important economic portfolio from November. The Frenchman, formerly chair of the governing UMP party, was sent to Brussels in March to replace Michel Barnier, who went on to become foreign minister. The vast majority of member states have nominated their next commissioner, either formally or informally. The only countries that remain to do so are the Netherlands, Austria and Denmark. The new commission as a whole, expected to be agreed in the last week of August, must be approved by the European Parliament. Its president will be former Portuguese prime minister Jose Barroso. (EUobserver.com)