Latvia on Tuesday withdrew its unpopular candidate for the European Commission at the request of incoming EU Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso and picked an experienced civil servant as a replacement.

Latvian Prime Minister Indulis Emsis told reporters that the Baltic state was nominating Andris Piebalgs, who worked in Brussels as the number two under Latvia's first commissioner Sandra Kalniete.

"After long discussions we decided that the Latvian candidate will be Andris Piebalgs. It was a unanimous decision of the government," he said.

Piebalgs told AFP he was ready to serve as commissioner instead of former parliament speaker Ingrida Udre: "If the government so chooses, I accept," he said.

The 47-year-old has been managing Kalniete's office since May 1, when Latvia, a small Baltic former Soviet state, joined the European Union. He is a diplomat with an almost 10-year experience, a former Latvian ambassador to the EU and Estonia.

"He is very experienced in European affairs and will be able to answer questions from the European Parliament deputies," Emsis said.

New EU commission chief Barroso has accepted his candidacy, the prime minister added.

Piebalgs could take the taxation and customs union portfolio, previously reserved for the Latvian commissioner. "Or even a better portfolio", Emsis said, declining to reveal exactly which one, because Barroso asked him not to release any information on this.

Commenting on unofficial information that it could be the energy portfolio Emsis said that this post would be very important for Latvia.

"Latvia's and the EU's interests go together very well in this field," the prime minister said.

Piebalgs is affiliated to liberal party Latvia's Way, which is not represented in the Latvian parliament.

Barroso had sent an official letter to the Latvian government asking the Baltic state to withdraw its previous choice, Udre.

The replaced commissioner candidate was among four or five nominees with questions marks over them, either because of alleged conflicts of interest or failure to impress EU lawmakers.

"I believe, that the European Parliaments criticism about Udre was unfair. It is a big politics of the EU," Emsis said.

A divorced mother-of-two, Udre is a relative newcomer to politics, entering the Latvian parliament only two years ago. She was criticised for taking long trips accompanied by her stylist during her stint as parliamentary speaker.

"Ingrida Udre respects the decision of the government," Udres spokeswoman told AFP. "Each candidate should take into account that he or she could be replaced. She will continue to work as the speaker of the parliament," the spokeswoman said.

Facing a threat by Socialist and Liberal members of the European Parliament to veto the entire commission because of their objections to controversial Italian nominee Rocco Buttiglione, president-elect Barroso withdrew all his picks last week.