Ursula von der Leyen Unveils New-Look European Commission

The new-look European Commission has been unveiled by its president Ursula von der Leyen.

Outlining the new team to MEPs in Strasbourg on Tuesday, the German official told deputies that gender balance had been uppermost in her thoughts.

The college, as it is formally called, comprises 11 women, 40 per cent of the total.

von der Leyen, set to serve her second term as president, said,

“When I received the first set of nominations and candidates, we were on track for around 22% women and 78% men.

“That was unacceptable.”

She added,

“So I worked with the Member States and we were able to improve the balance to 40% women and 60% men.”

She told parliamentarians,

“And it shows that – as much as we have achieved – there is still so much more work to do.”

The new team, that will steer EU legislative for the next five years, is:

Séjourné – Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy.Responsible for industry, SMEs and the Single Market portfolio. Guide the work to put in place the conditions for companies to thrive.

• Kaja Kallas – High Representative and Vice-President. The bridge between internal and external policies and ensure a “Geopolitical Commission.”
• Roxana Mînzatu – Executive Vice-President for People, Skills and Preparedness. Responsible for skills, education and culture, quality jobs and social rights.
• Raffaele Fitto – Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms.Responsible for the portfolio dealing with cohesion policy, regional development and cities.
• Maroš Šefčovič – Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, a new portfolio which also includes customs policy. Also has a second role as Commissioner for Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency.
• Valdis Dombrovskis – Commissioner for Economy and Productivity and Productivity and Commissioner for Implementation and Simplification.
• Dubravka Šuica – Commissioner for the Mediterranean, a new role. Responsible for the wider southern neighbourhood.
• · Olivér Várhely – Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare. Responsible for building the European Health Union.
• Wopke Hoekstra – Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth. Work on implementation and adaptation, on climate diplomacy and decarbonisation. Also responsible for taxation.
• Costas Kadis – Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans. Aims to present the first European Oceans Pact.
• Maria Luís Albuquerque – Commissioner for Financial Services and the Savings and Investment Union. Aims to strengthen and complete Capital Markets Union.
• Hadja Lahbib – Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, another new portfolio which will look at resilience, preparedness and civil protection..
• Magnus Zaharieva – Commissioner for Research and Innovation. Focus on spending on strategic priorities and on innovation.
• Michael McGrath – Commissioner for Democracy, Justice and the Rule of Law. Responsibility to take forward the European Democracy Shield.
• Apostolos Tzitzikostas – Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism. Responsible for mobility of goods and people.
• Christophe Hansen – Commissioner for Agriculture and Food. Tasked to bring to life the report and recommendations of the Strategic Dialogue and develop a Vision for Agriculture and Food in the first 100 days of the mandate.
• Glenn Micallef – Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Culture, Youth and Sport.