sanctions against companies that break EU environmental law
...heading this:
breaches of EU internal market, data protection laws and intellectual property rights
...looks like a Trojan horse to me. Or window dressing. Or what is the appropiate English expression for selling a policy with its opposite. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
I don't see many members of this Commission (especially Barroso) as ones who'd really care to use their new powers to persecute companies breaking environmental laws - as opposed to using their powers on the pro-business issues, which (by 'breaking' rules on competitiveness) can in fact mean crushing pro-environment legislation.
More generally, I would only like to see the Commission getting stronger if the Parliament got significantly stronger before, as the democratic check-and-balance on the Commission. Unless that happens, such empowering only enhances the effect of anti-democratic tendencies in the Council (i.e. the national governments). *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
I'm not in favour of more power for the Commission - I'd prefer to see them answer more to the Parliament as you say. This makes the Commission more powerful relative to the Council as well.
:-) *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
