The publication of the team ends weeks of speculation as to who will be given senior jobs.

As he announced the line-up, Mr Prodi promised a revolution in the European Commission to regain the confidence of the citizens of Europe after the sleaze allegations which forced the last Commission to resign. Neil Kinnock from the UK is to become Vice-President of the European Commission with special responsibility for administrative reform.

The other Vice-President will be Spain's Loyola de Palacio, who will look after relations with the EU parliament.

Romano Prodi: "There will be an era of change"

The UK's second commissioner, Chris Patten, will be responsible for external relations.

Spain's Pedro Solbes is the new commissioner responsible for EU monetary affairs. Mr Solbes, 56, a former Spanish Finance Minister, takes over from Yves-Thibault de Silguy who masterminded the move to a single currency in 11 of the 15 EU nations.

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Mr Prodi has named Mario Monti as Competition Commissioner to succeed Belgian Karel Van Miert. Mr Monti was the commissioner in charge of taxation and the EU single market in the outgoing Commission.

EU Commissioner Neil Kinnock: "We must earn public confidence".

France's Pascal Lamy will take over from Sir Leon Brittan as Trade Commissioner.

Radical reforms planned

Mr Prodi was chosen by the leaders of the 15 EU member countries to reform the executive after all 20 Commission members, including his predecessor, Jacques Santer of Luxembourg, resigned in March following a damning independent report on fraud and corruption within its ranks.

The BBC's Oana Lungescu: "Mr Prodi promised a revolution in the EU Commission"

Leaders of the EU member states have said they hope Mr Prodi will clean up the Commission's image - allegations of sleaze have continued to dog the old Commission.

The BBC Brussels Correspondent, Jonathan Beale, says it has not been easy putting together a team of 19 which represents a mix of gender, political background and experience.

The last pieces of the jigsaw fell into place only a day ago when Denmark and France agreed on who they would be sending to Brussels.

Four of the appointments are outgoing commissioners: Neil Kinnock, Mario Monti, Erkki Liikanen, and Franz Fischler.

In a separate move, foreign ministers are expected to approve a move to take former Commissioner Martin Bangemann to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.

Mr Bangemann, who was responsible for regulating industry and telecoms, left his post last week to take up a well-paid job in the private sector - a move that has been widely condemned.

The appointments list

France, Germany, Britain, Spain and Italy supply two commissioners each, and the remaining 10 countries one each.

• President: Romano Prodi (Italy)
• Vice-President: Neil Kinnock (UK) - administrative reforms
• Vice-President: Loyola de Palacio (Spain) - relations with EU parliament, transport, energy
• Franz Fischler (Austria) - agriculture, fisheries
• Mario Monti (Italy) - competition
• Erkki Liikanen (Finland) - information society, companies
• Michel Barnier (France) --regional policy
• Pascal Lamy (France) - trade
• Poul Nielsen (Denmark) - development, humanitarian aid
• Frits Bolkestein (Netherlands) - single market
• Chris Patten (UK) - external relations
• Michaele Schreyer (Germany) - budget
• Guenter Verheugen (Germany) - enlargement
• Pedro Solbes (Spain) - economic and monetary affairs
• Anna Diamantopoulou (Greece) - employment, social affairs
• Antonio Vitorino (Portugal) - justice, home affairs
• David Byrne (Ireland) - health, consumer protection
• Philippe Busquin (Belgium) - research
• Margot Wallstroem (Sweden) - environment
• Viviane Reding (Luxembourg) - education, culture

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