Tonio Borg to take health and consumer policy commission

European Commission president José Barroso today met with Tonio Borg, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malta, who has been named as the Commissioner-designate to fill the vacancy in the health and consumer protection portfolio for the remainder of the mandate of the college until 2014.

Barroso has confirmed to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi his agreement for Borg's candidacy to proceed in view of the procedure set out in Article 246 (2) TFEU and point 6 of the Framework Agreement between the European Parliament and the European Commission.