Le 3 mai 1995, le quotidien Luxemburger Wort dresse avec Jacques Santer, président de la Commission européenne, un bilan des cent premiers jours de travail de la nouvelle Commission et pointe les prochains défis de la construction européenne.

On 5 June 1996, the European Commission publishes a communication that defines the framework and objectives of the European Pact of Confidence for Employment, in particular regarding the commitments of the social partners and public authorities to combat unemployment.

Le 5 juin 1996, Jacques Santer, président de la Commission européenne, décrit devant le Parlement européen les objectifs du Pacte européen de confiance pour l'emploi adopté le jour-même par la Commission pour mieux lutter contre le chômage.

Le 19 juin 1996, à la veille du Conseil européen de Florence des 21 et 22 juin, Ramón de Miguel, secrétaire d'État espagnol chargé des relations avec l'Union européenne, souligne dans le quotidien madrilène El País la nécessité de trouver une solution à la crise politique provoquée par la maladie de la "vache folle".

At the meeting of the European Council held in Florence on 21 and 22 June 1996, the Heads of State or Government of the Fifteen adopt a series of measures relating, inter alia, to employment, the reform of the labour market and aid for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). With regard to food safety, they provide in particular for the gradual lifting of the ban on exports of beef and veal from the United Kingdom. Finally, the Council asks the Member States to ratify at an early date the Convention establishing the European Police Office (Europol) and the Protocol thereto.

‘Group photo with cow.’ For the German cartoonist Hanel, the BSE crisis completely obscures the debates of the Fifteen at the European Council in Florence on 21 and 22 June 1996.

On 24 June 1996, commenting on the outcome of the Florence European Council held on 21 and 22 June, the German daily newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung harshly criticises Britain’s European policy and the attitude of the British Prime Minister, John Major.

On 24 June 1996, commenting on the results of the Florence European Council held on 21 and 22 June, the daily newspaper La Libre Belgique criticises the European policy of John Major, British Prime Minister, in the context of the crisis caused by ‘mad cow’ disease.

Le 4 novembre 1996, le quotidien français Le Monde dresse le portrait de Jacques Delors, président de la Commission européenne, et décrit les enjeux du Pacte européen de confiance pour l'emploi adopté le 5 juin par la Commission pour mieux lutter contre le chômage.

Franz-Hermann Brüner, Director-General of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).

Photo of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) in Brussels.

Le 14 janvier 1999, le quotidien communiste français L'Humanité décrit la crise politique qui oppose une partie du Parlement européen à la Commission européenne que préside Jacques Santer.

Extract from the first report by the Committee of Independent Experts on the allegations of fraud, mismanagement and nepotism in the European Commission.

Statement by President Jacques Santer the day after the resignation of the Members of the Commission.

Commission statement following the resignation of its Members.

Le 17 mars 1999, commentant l'annonce par Jacques Santer de la démission collective de la Commission européenne qu'il préside, le quotidien français Le Monde examine la teneur du rapport du Comité des experts indépendants.

On 17 March 1999, commenting on the collective resignation of the European Commission under its President, Jacques Santer, the French daily newspaper Libération assesses the work done in Brussels by the former Luxembourg Prime Minister.

European Parliament Resolution of 23 March 1999 on the resignation of the Commission and the appointment of a new Commission.

En avril 1999, la Revue du Marché commun et de l'Union européenne commente la démission collective de la Commission européenne présidée par Jacques Santer et évoque les accusations portées à son encontre.

On 17 March 1999, Édith Cression, Member of the European Commission under its President Jacques Santer, speaks to La Libre Belgique about her involvement in the revelations that led to the collective resignation of the Commission two days earlier.

On 14 July 1999, Jacques Santer, outgoing President of the European Commission, gives an account of the achievements of his team since 1995.

‘That’s where it went wrong!’ In 1999, the cartoonist Fritz Behrendt illustrates the serious crisis that is rocking a European Commission under fire for its financial and administrative mismanagement.

In 1999, the German cartoonist, Walter Hanel, takes an ironic look at the waiting game being played by Jacques Santer in order to impose his authority on the European Commission of which he is the President and which is affected by growing suspicions of corruption.

In this interview, Jacques Santer, former President of the European Commission, recalls the reasons and circumstances which led him to submit, on 15 March 1999, the resignation en bloc of the Commission.

In this interview, Nicole Fontaine, Member of the European Parliament from 1984 to 2002, looks back at the circumstances which led to the adoption by the European Parliament, on 23 March 1999, of a resolution on the resignation of the European Commission presided by Jacques Santer and on the appointment of a new Commission.

Declaration of the Berlin European Council on the nomination of the Commission President.

On 25 March 1999, the French daily newspaper Libération comments on the decision, taken at the extraordinary Berlin European Council, to appoint Romano Prodi, former Italian Prime Minister, as President of the European Commission.

Le 25 mars 1999, le quotidien allemand Süddeutsche Zeitung décrit l'action du chancelier allemand Gerhard Schröder au Conseil européen extraordinaire de Berlin des 24 et 25 mars pour obtenir la désignation de Romano Prodi, ancien président du Conseil italien, à la présidence de la Commission européenne.

Le 25 mars 1999, le quotidien Luxemburger Wort salue la désignation le jour même de Romano Prodi, ancien président du Conseil italien, à la présidence de la Commission européenne à l'issue du Conseil européen extraordinaire de Berlin.

On 25 March 1999, the German daily newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitunggives a description of Romano Prodi, former Italian Prime Minister, following his appointment by the Fifteen as President of the European Commission.

On 27 March 1999, following the collective resignation of the European Commission presided by Jacques Santer, the French daily newspaper Le Monde describes Romano Prodi, former Italian Prime Minister, who was nominated two days earlier by the Heads of State or Government of the Fifteen to succeed him.

European Parliament resolution of 5 May 1999 on the nomination of the Commission President.

Speech by Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission to the European Parliament, 14 September 1999.

Group photograph of the 20 Members of the European Commission chaired by Romano Prodi, taken during the first official meeting of the Commission held on 18 September 1999 in Brussels. Seated, from left to right: Neil Kinnock, Romano Prodi and Loyola de Palacio del Valle-Lersundi. Standing, from left to right: Günter Verheugen, Chris Patten, Frits Bolkestein, Pedro Solbes Mira, Michel Barnier, Anna Diamantopoulou, Viviane Reding, Michaele Schreyer, António Vitorino, Erkki Liikanen, Margot Wallström, Mario Monti, Pascal Lamy, Franz Fischler, David Byrne, Philippe Busquin and Poul Nielson.

On 15 September 1999 during a meeting in Strasbourg under the presidency of Nicole Fontaine, Members of the European Parliament voted in favour of the composition and the mandate of the Commission presided over by the Italian, Romano Prodi. His team took over from Jacques Santer's Commission, which collectively resigned on 15 March 1999.

On 15 September 1999, the European Parliament approves the appointment of Romano Prodi, former President of the Italian Council of Ministers, as President of the European Commission, replacing Jacques Santer, who has resigned.