President José Manuel Barroso has been informed of my decision to resign as Vice-President of the European Commission as of 8 May 2008. I have decided to accept the nomination made by the new Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, and to serve my country as Minister for Foreign Affairs.

This decision has been a difficult one. I sincerely regret having to interrupt a highly rewarding experience at the European Commission, which I have had the honour and privilege of representing for more than three years. I have done my utmost to develop and strengthen the foundations of the area of freedom, security and justice, which is very dear to millions of European citizens. The formidable challenges that Europe has to face in the areas of migration, asylum, border control, terrorism, organised crime, fundamental and children's rights, data protection, and cooperation in civil and criminal law show how crucial Europe's added value is and how important it is to enhance practical cooperation between Member States.

I am proud of the results we have achieved during my term of office. My "thank you list" is very long, but I will try to limit it to those people who have particularly helped me to have such a great experience in Europe. Let me start by expressing my heartfelt gratitude to President Barroso for the trust he has placed in me and the tremendous support and guidance I have received from him throughout these years. I would also like to thank Vice-President Barrot for having replaced me. I wish him much success in his new capacity.

Moreover, I wish to thank wholeheartedly my Head of Cabinet, my Cabinet and my Media Team for their unremitting support, dedication and long working hours. The same goes for the Director-General JLS and DG JLS, who have performed a vast array of tasks and duties with diligence and genuine commitment, thereby contributing to a highly productive and friendly work environment. Without the hard work and commitment of the Cabinet and dedicated DG staff, no political initiative within the area of justice, security and freedom would have been a success.

I have always been and will remain a committed and dedicated European and, in my new capacity, I will strive to help Europe grow faster and stronger.