Commission Organisation

As part of the general sharpening of the Commission organisation, President Prodi has made moves to discipline the multifarious press outlets, in particular by strengthening the central Commission press office. Formerly known as the Official Spokesman, it is now rebaptised as the Press and Communication Service. That this is a serious change is shown by the appointment as its Head of Jonathan Faull. He will be known to many readers as a high flyer in DGIV (before transfer he was Deputy D-G for state aids) with the rare gift of speaking at conferences faithfully giving the official view while authoritatively taking part in the cut and thrust of the debate and avoiding the somewhat olympian stance so typical of most senior Commission officials. Among new press officers, Leonello Gabrici is responsible for Justice & Home Affairs while Pia Ahrenkilde-Hansen is temporarily covering the environment, business and information society desks. The Commission website is in a state of complete chaos, however. While the new Prodi organigram is there, do not seek it via the IDEA entity profile, which still gives the old Santer Commission and organigram.