Start of new European Commission likely delayed to Dec. 1 - EU officials

FILE PHOTO: European Commissioner-designate for a Stronger Europe in the World Josep Borrell Fontelles of Spain gestures during his hearing before the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium October 7, 2019. REUTERS/Yves Herman

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The launch of the new European Commission, the European Union's executive arm, is likely to be delayed by a month because the European Parliament has rejected three candidates proposed by EU governments for commissioners, several EU officials said on Monday.

Josep Borrell, the incoming EU foreign affairs chief, told reporters in Luxembourg it was "reasonable" to expect a delay of the start of the new Commission of Ursula von der Leyen until Dec. 1 from the original date of Nov. 1.