The head of the European Commission (EC), Ursula von der Leyen, yesterday appointed a new team to lead the most powerful institution of the European Union (EU) for the next five years, focused on facing the challenges of security, competitiveness and growth of the region.
Overcoming the backlog in the competitiveness of the 27-member bloc, building strong capacities for military production and ensuring a fair transition to green energy will be key goals, the German conservative said.
Lithuanian Andrijus Kubilijus will be the EU's first defense commissioner, with a new role designed to strengthen Europe's military production capacity in light of Russian aggression in Ukraine, on the bloc's eastern flank.
Spain's energy and environment minister Teresa Ribera will be the new competition commissioner tasked with curbing the power of big tech companies and making sure the EU reaches its environmental goals.
"The entire commission is committed to competitiveness," Von der Leyen said at a press conference, with the goal of "building a competitive, decarbonized and circular economy, with a just transition for all."
Climate change remains the EU's main policy framework, von der Leyen said. However, compared to her first mandate, security and competitiveness became a priority, she said.
The EC wants to establish a fund to support strategic sectors that will help it compete in new technologies, especially against China and the United States, Reuters reported.
The Commission has the power to propose new EU laws, block mergers and sign free trade agreements.
All candidates will be questioned by MEPs, who must approve their nominations and will try to extract promises from the nominees during hearings expected in the coming weeks.
Each of the 27 member states will have one seat at the Commission's table, and that role is comparable to a cabinet minister, although its political weight depends largely on the department, writes Reuters.
The two largest EU countries have the highest positions in the Commission - von der Leyen is German, and the outgoing French Foreign Minister Stefan Sezurne will be in charge of the key department of industrial strategy.
Polish candidate Piotr Serafin has been appointed to the powerful position of overseeing the EU budget.
The EC wants to establish a fund to support strategic sectors, which will help it compete in new technologies, especially against China and the US
Ribera, with a reputation as one of Europe's most ambitious climate change policymakers, could step up her predecessor Margret Vestager's antitrust fight against big tech companies.
The commissioner for enlargement will be Slovenian Marta Kos. She will work to support Ukraine, continue to work on the country's reconstruction and support candidate countries to prepare for EU accession, Von der Leyen said.
Estonian Kaja Kalas will be in charge of foreign policy. As prime minister of Estonia, she became one of the most vocal critics of neighboring Russia among European leaders and one of the staunchest advocates of Ukraine's efforts to join the EU and NATO.
Slovak Maroš Šefčovič will oversee trade policy, Dutchman Vopke Hekstra will be in charge of climate policies, Latvian Valdis Dombrovskis will lead the department of economy, and Finnish Hena Virkunen will oversee technological sovereignty, security and democracy.
The European Parliament can block commissioner candidates, and EU officials expect Hungary's Oliver Varhelji to come under pressure during the hearing.
All commissioners will answer to von der Leyen, who was entrusted with a second term at the head of the EU's executive body by EU members this summer after her political group won the most votes in the European elections.
The new EC is expected to take office by the end of the year, meaning one of its first tasks will be dealing with the outcome of the US presidential election in November. Reuters points out that the second term of Donald Trump could seriously change the Western unity in support of Ukraine against the Russian invasion and disrupt trade relations between the EU and the US.
There are 27 women in the 11-member Commission team proposed by von der Leyen yesterday, which is far less than the goal of gender balance she set. She said the imbalance was even greater before she negotiated with member states to nominate more women as commissioners.
The European Parliament can block commissioner candidates, and EU officials expect Hungary's Oliver Varhelji to come under pressure during the hearing. Varhelji, until now in charge of EU enlargement, has been proposed as Commissioner for Animal Health and Welfare.
On Monday it happened drama in connection with the distribution of positions in the Commission, when French President Emmanuel Macron, wanting to secure an important department, chose Sejourne as the new candidate instead of the current Thierry Breton, who resigned amid a dispute with von der Leyen.
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