The process of getting European Commission initiatives into law appears to involve sending the same document back to the member state parliaments repeatedly, until a critical number pass the legislation; under such a system, the EU is surprisingly powerful. I don't really suspect any significant challenges to this arrangement for at least through 2014...

However, I could be wrong

(Unless otherwise noted, all links on names go to Wikipedia profile)

There's a cloud in the sky the size of a man's hand, however—more precisely, Rocco Buttiglione, Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi's pick to be justice, freedom and security commissioner (Justice and Home Affairs site). In the event that you're totally new to EU politics, Italian PM Berlusconi represents a coalition of exceptionally far-right political interests, which makes him something of a pariah in the EU. On numerous occasions he's made profoundly insulting or outrageous comments, particularly in his capacity of President of the EU Parliament (each member state's head of government serves a six-month term in this job).

At this time, the head of the EU Commission is José Durão Barroso, former PM of Portugal (until June '04); like Berlusconi and Buttiglione, but unlike the vast majority of mainstream EU political figures, Barroso is generally sympathetic to the most pietistic elements of the European electorate. He's usually less abrasive than Mr. Buttiglione, who has gone on record denouncing homosexuality, single mothers, and immigration. The Justice Committee rejected his nomination (12 Oct; AP), an unprecedented shame, and Berlusconi has insisted this reflects discrimination against him for his religious beliefs.

The Vatican has weighed in, denouncing Buttiglione's rejection by the vetting committee as part of an "anti-Catholic inquisition" (BBC, Guardian). Other outlets cheer that his rejection reflected far higher standards of professionalism and enlightenment than prevail in, say, Washington DC; say what you will, rejected SCOTUS nominee Robert Bork makes Rocco Buttiglione look like Barbara Ehrenreich.

Now the latest is that Barroso is trying to get Buttiglione appointed, but minus most of his civil rights duties (FT, Guardian).

Guardian: Armed with a half apology from Mr. Buttiglione for any offence he might have caused gay people and women, Mr. Barroso effectively challenged his critics within the European parliament to have the guts to vote him and his entire 24-strong team out office on Wednesday—two days before the signing of the EU's new constitutional treaty...

...Socialist, liberal, Green and other leaders warned Mr. Barroso that he would have to make further, substantial concessions by early next week if he and his commission were to avoid a heavy defeat—or, at best, win such a slim majority his team would be left a lame duck for the five-year tenure.

Martin Schulz, leader of the 200-strong socialist group, accused the president of going back on his word after conceding on Tuesday that he would strip Mr. Buttiglione, an Italian Catholic, of his civil liberties responsibilities.

He dismissed as "cosmetic" Mr. Barroso's decision to set up a shadow team of commissioners, chaired by himself, to monitor his performance. Mr. Schulz, whose group voted against Mr. Barroso's appointment in July, said his members would vote as a bloc against the entire commission if there were no change of tack by the president.