The post was enlarged from the Commissioner for Enterprise and Information Society portfolio in the Prodi Commission to include Industry.
At the start of the Barroso Commission Germany, backed by Britain and France suggested an economic "super-commissioner"[3] to fight for competitiveness.
However, with the numerous economic portfolios, there is a degree of overlap which has been a matter of concern for him along with the purported difficulty of firing director-generals.
"[5] The commissioner was heavily involved in work on the REACH directive and ensuring its compatibility with the Lisbon Strategy.
In response to the refusal of countries to sign the Kyoto protocol, such as the United States and Australia, Verheugen asked President Barroso to look into whether the EU could implement taxes on products imported from those countries not taking low-carbon policies on board (Border Tax Adjustments).