BRUSSELS, Aug 12 (AFP) - European Commission president-elect Jose Manuel Durao Barroso announced the names of 24 commissioners to work under him in the new EU executive on Thursday, sharing key posts between major economic powers, small nations and the 10 new members of the bloc.
Germany's Guenter Verheugen, who oversaw the enlargement of the European Union to 25 countries on May 1 this year as commissioner for enlargement for the past five years, takes over the portfolio of enterprise and industry.
Joaquin Almunia of Spain, another of the six members of the departing commission retained by Barroso, also kept his job in charge of economic and monetary affairs, while France's Jacques Barrot was switched from regional policy to transport.
Britain's Peter Mandelson, a close ally of Prime Minister Tony Blair, was named commissioner for trade and will speak for the EU at a critical juncture in the current round of liberalisation talks at the World Trade Organisation.
Rocco Buttiglione of Italy, a conservative former philosophy professor who follows the Vatican's line on abortion and artificial insemination, will be in charge of justice, freedom and society.
From the smaller established EU members, the Netherlands' Neelie Kroes -- one of eight women commissioners -- was appointed to the sensitive competition policy brief.
Another woman, Sweden's Margot Wallstroem, becomes the senior of five vice presidents to Barroso and will deputise for him in his absence.
Wallstroem will also be in charge of institutional relations and communication strategy, giving her an influential role in liaising with EU member states and the European Parliament as well as in charge of press relations.
Denmark's Mariann Fischer Boel takes over the agriculture department, which through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) oversees nearly half of the EU's entire annual budget.
Poland, largest of the entrant EU members, gets the regional policy portfolio, to be held by Danuta Huebner. Regional aid is second only to the CAP in EU spending.
Provided it is endorsed by the European Parliament in October, the new commission will take office on November 1.
In the outgoing commission led by Romano Prodi, the five biggest member states had two commissioners each. But in Barroso's new team, each of the 25 countries has only one representative.
Aside from Barroso himself, the new commission will have two other figures who have served as prime minister -- Vladimir Spidla of the Czech Republic and Estonia's Siim Kallas.