Jacques Delors steps down and the new Santer Commission takes office
Jacques Delors steps down and the new Santer Commission takes office
The Corfu European Council (24 and 25 June 1994)
‘Delors’ post gives rise to envy’ from Le Monde (30 April 1994)
TexteOn 30 April 1994, the French daily newspaper Le Monde lists and describes the possible candidates for the post of President of the European Commission to replace Jacques Delors.
Address given by Egon Klepsch (Corfu, 24 June 1994)
TexteOn 24 June 1994, at the Corfu European Council, Egon Klepsch, President of the European Parliament, emphasises the importance of compliance with the timetable for the appointment and investiture of the new European Commission.
‘The drama unfolding on the Greek island of Corfu is reminiscent of the scenes played by Prime Minister Thatcher’ from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (27 June 1994)
TexteOn 27 June 1994, commenting on the outcome of the Corfu European Council, the German daily newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung describes the clash between John Major, British Prime Minister, and the other Heads of State or Government of the Twelve on the question on the appointment of the future President of the European Commission to replace Jacques Delors.
‘Hangover in Europe’ from Die Presse (27 June 1994)
TexteOn 27 June 1994, the day after the signing, in Corfu, of the Treaty of Accession to the European Union by Austria, the Vienna daily newspaper Die Presse deplores the fact that the Twelve’s disagreement on the appointment of the new President of the European Commission spoiled the celebrations.
‘In Corfu, London is blocking the succession of Delors’ from Libération (27 June 1994)
TexteOn 27 June 1994, the French daily newspaper Libération comments on the failure of the Corfu European Council of 24 and 25 June, at the end of which the Heads of State or Government of the Twelve were unable to reach agreement on a successor to Jacques Delors as President of the European Commission.
‘Paris and Bonn reaffirm their support for Dehaene’ from Le Figaro (28 June 1994)
TexteOn 28 June 1994, the French daily newspaper Le Figaro reviews the difficulties faced by the Heads of State or Government of the Twelve in reaching a unanimous decision on the nomination of a successor to Jacques Delors as President of the European Commission.
Jean-Luc Dehaene
ImageAt the meeting of the European Council held on 24 and 25 June 1994 on Corfu, the British Prime Minister, John Major, opposes the appointment of the Belgian Prime Minister, Jean-Luc Dehaene, to succeed Jacques Delors as President of the European Commission.
Franz Vranitzky, Political Memories
TexteIn his memoirs, Franz Vranitzky, former Austrian Chancellor, describes the discussions of the Corfu European Council, held on 24 and 25 June 1994, on the appointment of a successor to Jacques Delors as President of the European Commission.
Interview with Jacques Santer: British opposition to the nomination of Jean-Luc Dehaene (Sanem, 3 May 2006)
VidéoIn this interview, Jacques Santer, former Luxembourg Prime Minister, discusses the reasons which, in his opinion, resulted in John Major, British Prime Minister, opposing the nomination of Jean-Luc Dehaene, Belgian Prime Minister, as President of the European Commission, at the Corfu European Council of 24 and 25 June 1994.
The election of Jacques Santer
Interview with Jacques Santer: the political circumstances surrounding his appointment as President of the European Commission (Sanem, 3 May 2006)
VidéoIn this interview, Jacques Santer, former Luxembourg Prime Minister and President of the European Commission, recalls the circumstances surrounding his appointment as President of the European Commission by the Brussels Extraordinary European Council of 15 July 1994.
‘Are we walking round in circles?' from La Libre Belgique (16 July 1994)
TexteOn 16 July 1994, the conservative daily newspaper La Libre Belgique speculates as to whether the Luxembourger Jacques Santer is capable of taking over successfully from Jacques Delors as President of the European Commission.
‘Europe with Santer’ from El País (17 July 1994)
TexteOn 17 July 1994, the Madrid daily newspaper El País comments on the decision taken at the Brussels Extraordinary European Council of 15 July to appoint Jacques Santer, Luxembourg Prime Minister, to the post of President of the European Commission as the successor to Jacques Delors.
‘The European Commission could play a more modest role’ from Le Monde (17 July 1994)
TexteOn 17 July 1994, the French daily newspaper Le Monde describes Jacques Santer, Luxembourg Prime Minister, who has just been nominated by the Heads of State or Government of the Twelve as the new President of the European Commission.
‘Jacques Santer, without glory at the head of Europe’ from Libération (22 July 1994)
TexteOn 22 July 1994, the French daily newspaper Libération describes the way in which the European Parliament, in a vote held the previous day, approved the investiture of Jacques Santer, Luxembourg Prime Minister, as President of the European Commission.
‘The new European Parliament frustrates the leaders of the Twelve with a strong protest vote against Santer’ from El País (22 July 1994)
TexteOn 22 July 1994, the Spanish daily newspaper El País comments on the European Parliament’s approval, the previous day, of the investiture of Jacques Santer as the new President of the European Commission.
Decision of the representatives of the governments of the Member States nominating the President of the Commission (26 July 1994)
TexteOn 26 July 1994, the representatives of the governments of the Member States of the European Communities decide to nominate Jacques Santer, former Luxembourg Prime Minister, as the person that the governments of the Member States intend to appoint as President of the European Commission.
Jacques Santer
ImageOn 18 January 1995, the European Parliament approves the appointment of the new European Commission led by the former Luxembourg Prime Minister, Jacques Santer.
Address given by Michel Rocard on the appointment of Jacques Santer as President of the Commission (Strasbourg, 21 July 1994)
VidéoOn 21 July 1994, in a plenary sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Michel Rocard, former French Prime Minister, Member of the European Parliament and member of the Group of the Party of European Socialists (PES), comments on Jacques Santer’s appointment as President of the next European Commission.
Address given by Ben Fayot on the appointment of Jacques Santer as President of the Commission (Strasbourg, 21 July 1994)
VidéoOn 21 July 1994, in a plenary sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Ben Fayot, Luxembourg Member of the European Parliament and member of the Group of the Party of European Socialists (PES), comments on the appointment of fellow countryman Jacques Santer as President of the next European Commission.
Address given by Jacques Santer on his appointment as President of the Commission (Strasbourg, 21 July 1994)
VidéoOn 21 July 1994, in a plenary sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Jacques Santer, nominated President of the next European Commission, defends his appointment before the Members of the European Parliament.
Address given by Klaus Kinkel on the appointment of Jacques Santer as President of the Commission (Strasbourg, 21 July 1994)
VidéoOn 21 July 1994, in a plenary sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Klaus Kinkel, German Foreign Minister and President-in-Office of the Council of the European Union, comments on Jacques Santer’s appointment as President of the next European Commission.
Address given by Pauline Green on the appointment of Jacques Santer as President of the Commission (Strasbourg, 21 July 1994)
VidéoOn 21 July 1994, in a plenary sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Pauline Green, Member of the European Parliament and Chairman of the Group of the Party of European Socialists (PES), comments on the appointment of Jacques Santer as President of the next European Commission.
Address given by Wilfried Martens on the appointment of Jacques Santer as President of the Commission (Strasbourg, 21 July 1994)
VidéoOn 21 July 1994, in a plenary sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Wilfried Martens, Member of the European Parliament and Chairman of the Group of the European People’s Party (EPP), comments on the appointment of Jacques Santer as President of the next European Commission.
The election of Jacques Santer
Address given by Gijs de Vries on the appointment of Jacques Santer as President of the Commission (Strasbourg, 21 July 1994)
VidéoOn 21 July 1994, in a plenary sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Gijs de Vries, Member of the European Parliament and Chairman of the Group of the European Liberal Democratic and Reformist Party (ELDR), comments on the appointment of Jacques Santer as President of the next European Commission.
Vote of the European Parliament approving the Santer Commission (Strasbourg, 18 January 1995)
VidéoOn 18 January 1995, in a plenary sitting of the European Parliament, MEPs approve the appointment of Jacques Santer as President of the next European Commission by a narrow margin.
Interview with Jacques Santer: the debates in the European Parliament on his appointment as President of the European Commission (Sanem, 3 May 2006)
VidéoIn this interview, Jacques Santer, former Luxembourg Prime Minister and President of the European Commission, recalls the debates in the European Parliament, in July 1994, on his appointment as President of the European Commission.
The Santer Commission
Interview with Jacques Santer: the composition of the European Commission (Sanem, 3 May 2006)
VidéoIn this interview, Jacques Santer, former President of the European Commission, outlines the criteria, in particular the political criteria, which, in 1994, guided the selection of Commissioners and the allocation of portfolios.
Interview with Jacques Santer: the allocation of portfolios (Sanem, 3 May 2006)
VidéoIn this interview, Jacques Santer, former President of the European Commission, outlines the main difficulties encountered in 1994 in the selection of Commissioners and in the allocation of their respective responsibilities.
Interview with Édith Cresson (Paris, 29 January 2008) — Excerpt: the Santer Commission
VidéoIn this interview, Édith Cresson, former European Commissioner, describes her appointment to the post of European Commissioner for Research, Education and Youth and criticises Jacques Santer's lack of authority and the behaviour of the European Parliament.
Interview with Édith Cresson (Paris, 29 January 2008) — Excerpt: relations between the members of the Santer Commission
VidéoIn this interview, Édith Cresson, European Commissioner from 1994 to 1999, discusses the relations between the various members of the European Commission under Jacques Santer.
Interview with Édith Cresson (Paris, 29 January 2008) — Excerpt: the Santer Commission and the European Parliament
VidéoIn this interview, Édith Cresson, former European Commissioner, discusses the weaknesses of the Santer Commission and the behaviour of the European Parliament.
Jacques Santer
PasseportSir Leon Brittan
ImageSir Leon Brittan, Vice-President of the European Commission headed by Jacques Santer (1995-1999).
Manuel Marín
ImageManuel Marín, Vice-President of the European Commission headed by Jacques Santer (1995-1999).
'An honour, an opportunity and a challenge' from the Luxemburger Wort (18 July 1994)
TexteOn 18 July 1994, the daily newspaper Luxemburger Wort welcomes the appointment of Luxembourg Prime Minister Jacques Santer as President of the new European Commission and identifies the political challenges awaiting the new President.
Interview with Jacques Santer published in the Luxemburger Wort (2 September 1994)
TexteOn 2 September 1994, Jacques Santer, the new President of the European Commission, replies to questions from the Luxembourg newspaper Luxemburger Wort regarding the composition and tasks of the new Commission.
‘Future President of the European Commission, Santer impresses’ from Le Nouveau Quotidien (26 October 1994)
TexteOn 26 October 1994, the Swiss newspaper Le Nouveau Quotidien describes the new European Commission and its President, Jacques Santer.
Interview with Jacques Santer in Politique Internationale (1994)
TexteIn 1994, in an interview for the French journal Politique Internationale, Jacques Santer, the new President of the European Commission, gives his views on the major European issues.
Interview with Jacques Santer in Le Soir (20 January 1995)
TexteOn 20 January 1995, in an interview for the Belgian daily newspaper Le Soir, Jacques Santer, the new President of the European Commission, refers to the terms of his appointment and outlines the tasks of the Commission.
‘The Commission adopts its report on the operation of the Treaty on European Union' from Bulletin d'information et de documentation (10 May 1995)
TexteOn 10 May 1995, the European Commission publishes its report on the operation of the Treaty on European Union as part of the preparations for the 1996 Intergovernmental Conference (IGC).
‘With a cigar and a long leash’ from Die Zeit (23 June 1995)
TexteOn 23 June 1995, the German daily newspaper Die Zeit describes Jacques Santer, former Luxembourg Prime Minister and new President-designate of the European Commission.