Tue, Feb 09 2010

Barroso unveils new European Commissioners’ portfolios

Fri, Nov 27 2009 13:56 CET 1739 Views
Barroso unveils new European Commissioners’ portfolios

Olli Rehn will be European Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner, Karel de Gucht Trade Commissioner and Joaquin Almunia will be Competition Commissioner, EC President Jose Barroso said on November 27 2009.
 
France’s Michel Barnier will be the Commissioner on the internal market and Guenther Oettinger, the German candidate Commissioner, will get the Energy portfolio.
 
Rehn, who was nominated by Finland for a second term, moves from the enlargement portfolio, to replace Almunia. Almunia takes over the competition commissioner from Neelie Kroes of the Netherlands.

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Roumyana Zheleva has been nominated as International Co-operation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Commissioner.

The full list, as announced officially, is:

Joaquín ALMUNIA: Competition. Vice-President of the Commission.

- László ANDOR: Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion.

- Baroness Catherine ASHTON: High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security and Vice-President of the Commission.

- Michel BARNIER: Internal Market and Services.

- Dacian CIOLOS: Agriculture and Rural Development.

- John DALLI: Health and Consumer Policy.

- Maria DAMANAKI: Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.

- Karel DE GUCHT: Trade.

- Štefan FÜLE: Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy.

- Johannes HAHN: Regional Policy.

- Connie HEDEGAARD: Climate Action.

- Maire GEOGHEGAN-QUINN: Research and Innovation.

- Roumyana Zheleva: International Co-operation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response.

- Siim KALLAS: Transport. Vice-President of the Commission.

- Neelie KROES: Digital Agenda. Vice-President of the Commission.

- Janusz LEWANDOWSKI: Budget and Financial Programming.

- Cecilia MALMSTRÖM: Home Affairs.

- Günter OETTINGER: Energy.

- Andris PIEBALGS: Development.

- Janez POTO Č NIK: Environment.

- Viviane REDING: Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship. Vice-President of the Commission.

- Olli REHN: Economic and Monetary Affairs.

- Maroš ŠEFČOVIČ : Vice-President of the Commission for Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration.

- Algirdas ŠEMETA: Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud.

- Antonio TAJANI: Industry and Entrepreneurship. Vice-President of the Commission.

- Androulla VASSILIOU: Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth.

Presenting the Commission line-up, which is subject to approval by the European Parliament at hearings expected to be held in January 2010, Barroso said: "We have a European programme, and now we have a European team.

 "On the basis of the nominations by the member states, I have sought to design a College (of Commissioners) which can generate fresh ideas and new momentum on the biggest challenges we face in Europe today.

 "This College will implement the political guidelines that I presented to the European Parliament.

 "I am confident that this College will be decisive in steering Europe towards recovery and a sustainable social market economy that works for the people. I have put together a strong Commission to fill the enhanced role of Europe, including on the world stage, provided by the Lisbon Treaty," Barroso said.

 One of the key tasks of the new Commission would be be to give life to the new opportunities provided by the Lisbon Treaty, he said.

The new EC will have seven Vice-Presidents, including Vice-President Baroness Catherine Ashton who will, at the same time, be the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty on December 1.

Three of the Vice-Presidents are women, of nine women on the proposed Commission.

The members of the EC come from different political families, notably the European People's Party (EPP), the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S & D), and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE).

Fourteen members, including Barroso, were already members of the outgoing EC.

The new portfolios are: Climate Action; Home Affairs; Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship.

Barroso has reconfigured a number of other portfolios: Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth; Health and Consumer Policy; Industry and Entrepreneurship; Research and Innovation; International Co-operation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response.

There will be a new emphasis on inclusion in the Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion portfolio, and a renewed focus with the Digital Agenda portfolio, an official EC statement said.
 


Write comment

Name:Comment:

Generate new code
Send your comment

By posting a comment, you are deemed to have read and agreed to our
Acceptable Use Policy.

European Maritime Commissioner-designate quizzed by MEPs

Greek Commissioner-designate for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Maria Damanaki, faced questions on topics from fisheries policy reform to protecting EU vessels from pirates.

Rural development programmes launched

Some 32 of the 45 projects have been approved, 28 of which are projects set up by local municipalities; the remaining four are from rural non-government organisations.

Zheleva’s European Parliament confirmation hearing set for January 12

Roumyana Zheleva, Bulgaria’s candidate European Commissioner nominated for the portfolio of international co-operation, humanitarian aid and emergency response, will face three hours of questions by a committee of the European Parliament.

Cohn-Bendit querying Zheleva’s nomination as European Commissioner

European Parliament Greens/EFA co-leader Daniel Cohn-Bendit is investigating Roumyana Zheleva, Bulgaria’s nominee for the next European Commission, because of allegations related to a conflict of interest.

Bulgarian Foreign Minister elected vice president of European People’s Party

European Commissioner-designate Roumyana Zheleva won 218 votes at EPPs congress in Bonn.

Lisbon Treaty means EU will be better prepared for today’s world – Zheleva

Bulgaria’s Foreign Minister and European Commissioner-designate says that Lisbon Treaty is a ‘symbol of unity and clear evidence that where member states pool their efforts, goals are achievable’.

Lisbon Treaty enters into force

Celebrations to be held in Lisbon to mark the coming into force on December 1 2009 of the Treaty that reshapes the workings of the European Union.

More in this category

Eurozone accession, Nabucco among issues discussed by Borissov and Brown

Football is the only thing that divides the United Kingdom and Bulgaria, prime ministers Gordon Brown and Boiko Borissov agreed at their meeting in London.

European Parliament approves ‘Barroso II’ Commission

The 27-member College of Commissioners to take office after three months of delays and dramas.

Churches’ message on Haiti debt relief

WCC commends G7 relief of Haiti's debt, asks IMF to follow suit.

Bulgaria donates $100 000 after Unesco appeal for help for Haiti

Foreign Minister Nikolai Mladenov says the funds will finance three education projects on the earthquake-devastated island.

No free movement of Bulgarian and Romanian workers in Dutch agriculture in 2010

The chances that Bulgarians or Romanians can work without a work permit in Dutch agriculture this year are almost non-existent, Dutch media concluded.