Peter Sutherland on his appointment to Delors first Commission was given responsibility for the Competition portfolio, a position that was considered as one of the most significant among the Commission posts. In addition he also took over the Social Affairs portfolio, with responsibility for the European Social Fund. He was also given education and training, material in which he took a huge interest and he was instrumental in the establishment of the ERASMUS (EuRopean Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students) programme.

Material on education including the ERAMUS and COMMETT programmes. The latter was a new and experimental programme which evolved on the basis of analysis of need. Sutherland was responsibile for the setting up and development of COMMETT. The four key elements of the programme were: Training, Technology, Transnational European Co-operation, Joint University-Industry Co-operation.