After weeks of hypothesis and backdoor negotiations, on Tuesday the President of the European Fee, Ursula von der Leyen, introduced her crew of European commissioners. The subsequent step within the commissioners’ approval course of are hearings of the Commissioners-designate within the European Parliament.
The work of the brand new EU Fee (2024-2029) will primarily deal with safety and competitiveness moderately than local weather safety. On the workers entrance, the appointment of the right-wing populist Raffaele Fitto, a member of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Fratelli d’Italia get together, as one of many vice-presidents of the EU Fee stays significantly contentious.
5 years in the past, the main target was clear: “Final time, the problem of worldwide warming was completely prime,” mentioned von der Leyen, and that the subject was nonetheless dominant with regard to forest fires and floods. ”However this time, for instance, the subject of safety, triggered by the Russian struggle in Ukraine, but in addition the subject of competitiveness, has rather more affect” on the organisation of her crew, von der Leyen mentioned. The brand new crew ought to work in a “extra fluid, extra intertwined” approach in order that every little thing contributes to broad goals of “prosperity, safety and democracy”.
The brand new technique can also be mirrored within the newly created put up of Protection Commissioner. It’s to be crammed by Lithuania’s former Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius – and subsequently somebody from a rustic that borders Russia. “He’ll work to develop the European Defence Union and strengthen our investments and industrial capacities,” emphasised von der Leyen.
For weeks, speculations have been doing the rounds on social media and behind closed doorways as to who would tackle which place. Von der Leyen has crammed most of the prime jobs in her new Fee crew with girls. She gave engaging portfolios to nations that revered her request to switch their male candidates with girls, such because the Enlargement portfolio to Slovenian Marta Kos or an Government Vice-Presidency place to Romanian Roxana Minzatu.
Moreover, 4 of the six prime roles of different Government Vice-Presidents shall be taken over by girls – Spain’s Teresa Ribera, Finland’s Henna Virkkunen, Estonia’s Kaja Kallas and Romania’s Roxana Mînzatu. The remaining two posts shall be crammed by males – France‘s Stéphane Séjourné and controversial Italian Raffaele Fitto.
Regardless of the efforts, von der Leyen has failed to attain her objective of gender parity. She defined that 40 p.c of the brand new Fee could be girls and 60 p.c males. In line with von der Leyen, the heads of state and authorities had initially proposed virtually 80 p.c males. “That was utterly unacceptable,” von der Leyen mentioned.
The EU Fee, a legislative physique with round 32,000 workers, proposes legal guidelines for the Union and displays compliance with EU legislation. The School of Commissioners – consisting of 27 members from 27 EU member states – coordinates the work of the entire EU Fee.
Fitto’s appointment criticised
One title among the many Commissioner candidates raised eyebrows even earlier than the presentation. Italian’s right-wing populist Raffaele Fitto, minister for Europe within the authorities of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, ought to now change into one of many Government Vice-Presidents and Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms. This could make him liable for the European Social Fund and a fund for regional improvement, amongst others.
“Raffaele Fitto shall be liable for the portfolio coping with cohesion coverage, regional improvement and cities,” von der Leyen mentioned through the press convention on Tuesday. “We’ll draw on his in depth expertise to assist modernise and strengthen our cohesion, funding and development insurance policies,” von der Leyen added. “Italy is a vital nation and this should even be mirrored in our alternative,” the President of the EU Fee pressured.
Raffaele Fitto mentioned he felt honoured after Ursula von der Leyen appointed him to her new crew of Commissioners on Tuesday. “I intend to train the position entrusted to me, as soon as the method of approving the brand new Fee is full, with the utmost dedication and in full compliance with the Treaties and their spirit, within the information that the following 5 years shall be essential for the way forward for the EU and its residents.”
Talking about Fitto’s new portfolios, Italian authorities sources mentioned: “Cohesion is total value some 378 billion Euro (of which some 43 are for Italy) for the 2021-2027 cycle, with out counting the longer term planning cycle (which can’t be quantified in the mean time however will presumably be related) which the following Fee should outline along with member States. For a State like Italy, and particularly for the South, this can be a major nationwide curiosity,” the sources famous. “Italy lastly returns to be a protagonist in Europe,” Meloni wrote on social media.
In the meantime the liberal Renew group on Tuesday expressed dissatisfaction on the resolution to appoint Fitto. “I deplore von der Leyen’s political resolution to offer an government vice-presidency to Raffaele Fitto,” mentioned Renew President Valérie Hayer. Renew would look forward to the presentation hearings within the European Parliament. “We’ll consider him on his expertise, on his pro-European commitments, on his independence and on his coherence with the July tips – there shall be most vigilance from us,” she mentioned. “The professional-EU forces should unite: We should not depart room for populists of the best and left.”
The Greens additionally mentioned they’d “not give Raffaele Fitto a straightforward trip” within the European Parliament. “The truth that a candidate from a far-right authorities is nominated as Vice-President of the European Fee stays a giant concern for our Group”, Greens Co-president Terry Reintke mentioned.
Commissioners-designate:
Teresa Ribera Rodríguez (Spain) – Government Vice-President for Clear, Simply and Aggressive Transition
Henna Virkkunen (Finland) – Government Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Safety and Democracy
Stéphane Séjourné (France) – Government Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Technique
Kaja Kallas (Estonia) – Excessive Consultant for Overseas Affairs and Safety Coverage and Vice-President of the European Fee
Roxana Mînzatu (Romania) – Government Vice-President for Individuals, Abilities and Preparedness
Raffaele Fitto (Italy) – Government Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms
Maroš Šefčovič (Slovakia) – Commissioner for Commerce and Financial Safety; Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency
Valdis Dombrovskis (Latvia) – Commissioner for Economic system and Productiveness; Implementation and Simplification
Dubravka Šuica (Croatia) – Commissioner for Mediterranean
Olivér Várhelyi (Hungary) – Commissioner for Well being and Animal Welfare
Wopke Hoekstra (the Netherlands) – Commissioner for Local weather, Internet Zero and Clear Development
Andrius Kubilius (Lithuania) – Commissioner for Defence and House
Marta Kos (Slovenia) – Commissioner for Enlargement
Jozef Síkela (Czech Republic) – Commissioner for Worldwide Partnerships
Costas Kadis (Cyprus) – Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans
Maria Luís Albuquerque (Portugal) – Commissioner for Monetary Companies and the Financial savings and Investments Union
Hadja Lahbib (Belgium) – Commissioner for Preparedness and Disaster Administration; Equality
Magnus Brunner (Austria) – Commissioner for Inside Affairs and Migration
Jessika Roswall (Sweden) – Commissioner for Surroundings, Water Resilience and a Aggressive Round Economic system
Piotr Serafin (Poland) – Commissioner for Funds, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration
Dan Jørgensen (Denmark) – Commissioner for Power and Housing
Ekaterina Zaharieva (Bulgaria) – Commissioner for Startups, Analysis and Innovation
Michael McGrath (Eire) – Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, and the Rule of Regulation
Apostolos Tzitzikostas (Greece) – Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism
Christophe Hansen (Luxembourg) – Commissioner for Agriculture and Meals
Glenn Micallef (Malta) – Commissioner for Intergenerational Equity, Youth, Tradition and Sport
Member States’ reactions to the nominations:
AUSTRIA: In line with a press launch, Magnus Brunner, a candidate for Commissioner for Inside Affairs and Migration mentioned: “It’s an honour for me to have been given the portfolio for inner safety and migration within the EU Fee by President Ursula Von der Leyen. This space is central to the longer term and functioning of the European Union.” Austria has taken a transparent place on inner safety in Europe and is efficiently combating unlawful migration. “We face main challenges, but in addition alternatives to strengthen Europe’s values and safety.”
BELGIUM: Belgium’s Hadja Lahbib obtained the Preparedness and Disaster Administration portfolio. Lahbib, who entered into politics solely two years in the past and instantly grew to become Minister of Overseas Affairs, shall be liable for main the European efforts on disaster administration and humanitarian help. Lahbib will even be liable for equality coverage. “Her portfolio displays her political profession,” von der Leyen mentioned.
Probably the most heard response in Belgium is that Lahbib won’t be able to exert a lot political affect with the competences she was handed. And that’s as a result of the nation waited till the final minute to appoint Lahbib als Commissioner designate. “Procrastination and haggling have sadly saddled Belgium with a weak portfolio,” Inexperienced MEP Sara Matthieu reacted. “It’s excessive time for Belgian politicians to begin appreciating the put up of European Commissioner higher.”
BULGARIA: Ekaterina Zaharieva, designated for the place of Commissioner for Startups, Analysis and Innovation, mentioned her portfolio is extremely vital. She expressed gratitude to von der Leyen and to the Bulgarian Authorities for the arrogance she was entrusted with and added that she is conscious of the scope of her duty. She mentioned: “The portfolio that Bulgaria obtained is likely one of the portfolios of the longer term. This can be very vital and on the coronary heart of the present and the following Fee.”
CZECH REPUBLIC: Czech MEPs in Strasbourg have been expressing each satisfaction and disappointment after Ursula von der Leyen introduced that she intends to entrust the Czech consultant Jozef Sikela with worldwide partnership and improvement help points within the new European Fee.
Whereas politicians within the authorities camp are speaking concerning the strongest portfolio ever held by a Czech commissioner, it’s not solely opposition lawmakers who take into account vitality or commerce to be stronger portfolios, which have been steered. “No Czech commissioner has ever had such a powerful portfolio,” mentioned Tomas Zdechovsky, member of the European Individuals’s Celebration (EPP), assessing von der Leyen’s resolution. Communist MEP Katerina Konecna described the portfolio as a slap within the face for Czechia. “Mr Sikela will simply do the soiled work for Brussels once more, which is what our authorities is used to,” she mentioned.
PORTUGAL: “We emphasise the essential portfolio assigned to Commissioner Maria Luís Albuquerque, nominated by Portugal,” Prime Minister Luís Montenegro wrote in an announcement. Maria Luís Albuquerque will take up the put up of the Commissioner for Monetary Companies and the Financial savings and Investments Union. “That is important for progress, for the sustainability of Europe’s social and financial venture, and for the Union’s potential to satisfy the expectations, wants and pursuits of European and Portuguese residents.”
SLOVENIA: Slovenia has been assigned the enlargement portfolio by the brand new European Fee, one which it has all the time had an curiosity in. “The enlargement portfolio is proof that Slovenia is valued and revered within the worldwide neighborhood,” mentioned Prime Minister Robert Golob instantly after the announcement of von der Leyen’s resolution, describing it as a historic achievement. “Slovenia is taking up a accountable activity.”
“Marta Kos is entrusted with the important thing to making sure stability and peace in our rapid neighbourhood and past, and how you can contribute to stabilising each the Western Balkans and the Japanese neighbourhood by means of the European thought,” he mentioned. Overseas Minister Tanja Fajon additionally welcomed the allocation of the portfolio to Slovenia.
SPAIN: The Spanish authorities reacted with nice enthusiasm to Teresa Ribera’s nomination for the Government Vice-President for Clear, Simply and Aggressive Transition.
“It’s a large success for Spain. It’s an important portfolio {that a} Spaniard has ever had within the European Fee,” authorities sources advised Spanish press company EFE, who take into account that Von der Leyen provides the Spanish socialist the “most related” one and “entrusts her with the important thing insurance policies for the structural transformation that she has set as an goal”, based mostly on the reviews ready by the previous Italian prime ministers Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi.
SWEDEN: The knowledge that Sweden’s Jessika Roswall shall be in control of surroundings, water resilience and round financial system got here as a shock, for the reason that Swedish rightwing authorities moderately has been aiming for one thing to do with productiveness or competitiveness. Inexperienced and leftist opposition events are questioning how Roswall will act to help as an illustration the character restoration legislation that the Swedish authorities fiercely and actively tried to cease. “I hope that she’s going to take her new position significantly and work for Europe as a complete, regardless that it’d imply working in opposition to the Swedish authorities,” says Inexperienced’s MEP Alice Bah Kuhnke.
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