Brussels  -  Antonio Tajani, a conservative member of the European Parliament (EP) and a co-founder of Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party, was Wednesday being tipped to join the European Commission following the likely departure of Franco Frattini.

"He is certainly one of the candidates," a source in Brussels close to the 54-year-old politician told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

On Tuesday, Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker described Tajani as "an excellent candidate."

"At this point in time, the chance that he might be nominated is more than a rumour," Juncker, who is a senior member of the European People's Party (EPP), told the Italian news agency Adnkronos.

A law-graduate and former journalist, Tajani acted as the prime minister's spokesman in the first Berlusconi government of 1994.

Since then, he has been an MEP, winning re-election on three occasions.

He currently acts as one of the vice-presidents of the EPP and is a member of various parliamentary committees, including the foreign affairs committee and the committee on civil liberties, justice and home affairs.

Tajani would replace Frattini as Justice, Freedom and Security commissioner in the Jose Manuel Barroso executive.

The current holder of the post, fellow Forza Italia member Frattini, has obtained unpaid leave from the commission ahead of his likely appointment in the new Berlusconi government. (dpa)