MEP Janusz Lewandowski met with European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso this morning to discuss a position of the commission.

The meeting lasted twenty minutes, after which Mr Lewandowski did not wish to disclose any details. He said ‘No comments at this stage’, to reporters, adding that President Barroso is to decide who will fill the various portfolios and he is going to announce his line-up very soon.

(Hear Pawel Swieboda, President of the Warsaw-based demosEUROPA – Centre for European Strategy on why there are more Poles in the top jobs in Brussels.)

It is believed Lewandowski is in line for a high profile post in one of the commissions linked with the economy.

Gazeta Wyborcza is reporting that an agreement made on November 24 has lined up Lewandowski, with the industry portfolio, now in the hands of the German Commissioner Guenter Verheugen.

Lewandowski has been mentioned as a candidate for budget commissioner, but this post appears to have been given to Ireland’s Maire Geoghegan Quinn, who currently sits in the Court of Auditors EU.

On Wednesday, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso began a series of meetings with commission candidates. Final decision will be announced on either the 2 or 3 December.

The new European Commission could begin work on 1 February. (pg)