**The new 27-strong team of European commissioners is expected to get the approval of Euro MPs in a vote shortly.**Each commissioner has already faced a hearing in the European Parliament.
The Commission is the EU’s executive arm, responsible for drafting EU laws and ensuring that the 27 member states comply with the EU treaties.
Bulgaria’s first nominee, Rumiana Jeleva, failed to convince MEPs about her suitability for the job, so she was replaced by Kristalina Georgieva.
The parliament’s vote on the whole Commission was delayed by three months because ratification of the Lisbon Treaty was not completed until November.
Under the treaty, the number of commissioners will be reduced by a third by 2014. So this will be the last time MEPs vote for a Commission with candidates drawn from every member state.
The president of the Commission, veteran Portuguese conservative Jose Manuel Barroso, has already been approved for a second term by the EU government leaders.
The new line-up includes the UK’s Baroness Ashton, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs. The new post, created by the Lisbon Treaty, also makes her a Commission vice-president.
MEPs cannot vote on individual commissioners - only on the whole Commission team. But they can force changes in its composition by rejecting the whole team. That happened in 2004, when Italy withdrew its commissioner-designate for justice, Rocco Buttiglione. MEPs disliked his opposition to gay rights and conservative attitude towards women.