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The selection of a new European Commission, never the simplest of political tasks, has this year been more complex than ever. Politically and institutionally, 2009 came with a whole range of permutations regarding the 'how?', 'when?' and 'who?' of the next EU executive.
The Irish 'yes' to the Lisbon Treaty in a second referendum in October (EurActiv 03/10/09) and the subsequent signature of the text by Czech President Václav Klaus (EurActiv 03/11/09) ended almost a decade of constitutional debate in the European Union.
It culminated on 19 November with the appointment of Herman Van Rompuy as the first permanent EU president and Baroness Catherine Ashton as High Representative for Foreign Affairs (EurActiv 20/11/09).
Even though the mandate of the current Commission ended on 31 October 2009, it will remain in place until the new college has been approved and has taken office, expected for early 2010.
On 25 November, the EU executive published a list of 'commissioners-designate for the next Commission
'. Commission President José Manuel Barroso will divide the portfolios between the 27 member states, each of which has nominated one representative. The approval of the European Parliament must then be sought.
Barroso II
Barroso won unanimous backing from EU heads of state and government at the 18-19 June summit for a second five-year mandate at the head of the European Commission (EurActiv 19/06/09), and on 16 September the European Parliament approved him to steer the European Commission for a second five-year term - not only under the terms of the current Nice Treaty, but also under the tougher criteria of the Lisbon Treaty, when it comes into force.
Two 'new top jobs'
The Treaty of Lisbon, which will enter into force on 1 December 2009, introduces the new 'top jobs' of a high-profile president to chair EU summit meetings for a two-and-a-half year term and a High Representative for Foreign Affairs, who will also be a vice-president of the European Commission (see EurActiv LinksDossier on 'Choosing Mr(s). Europe').
Public opinion and the European press have been widely critical of the appointment of Herman Van Rompuy and Catherine Ashton to the EU's new top positions, with Germany in particular feeling it had been tricked into accepting a bad deal (EurActiv 23/11/09).
The appointments highlighted the European Union's reluctance to choose a high-profile president who can see eye-to-eye with other world leaders. Van Rompuy will be more of a "chairman" than a leader, according to Thierry Chopin, director of the Robert Schuman Foundation think-tank, in an interview with EurActiv France (EurActiv 23/11/09).
All this will have an impact on the functioning and portfolio allocation of the new Barroso Commission.
Three 'new' commissioner portfolios?
Presenting his plans for the new Commission, Barroso confirmed that he envisages a commissioner responsible for justice, fundamental rights and civil liberties, including citizens' and minority rights. This is no surprise, as Liberal (ALDE) leader Guy Verhofstadt made his group's support for Barroso conditional on the creation of such a post (EurActiv 15/07/09). As reported by EurActiv, Brussels is awash with speculation as to what other new portfolios may emerge (EurActiv 24/09/09).
Barroso also said he envisages having a commissioner for internal affairs and migration, and another one for "climate action". Indeed, up to now, the Commission has had portfolios for environment and energy, but not a specific post for climate affairs. He also said he planned to create the new post of chief scientific advisor (EurActiv 25/09/09).
Eastern commissioners compete for energy & enlargement
Four East European commissioners find themselves in competition with one another, with their governments having expressed preferences for the energy and enlargement portfolios in the next European Commission. The coveted portfolios cover policy areas in which they apparently hope to leverage their countries' experience, but also to alleviate difficulties (EurActiv 25/11/09).
The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Latvia have all signalled their interest in the enlargement portfolio. Meanwhile, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Bulgaria said they would be happy to land the energy portfolio. Bulgaria has also expressed an interest in regional policy, an area of interest to another East European country – Hungary.
Nine women on board
Nine women have been designated members of the next EU executive, matching the number of the outgoing college (EurActiv 25/11/09).
EU leaders seem to have listened to President Barroso. In a letter to EU heads of state and government, Barroso stressed the importance of gender balance in his new college of commissioners. "To allow me to propose a properly balanced team […] I urge you to see gender balance as a common goal and a shared responsibility," he said last month, calling on leaders to "pay particular attention to the presence of women in the college as our discussions continue towards conclusion" (EurActiv 22/10/09).
Indded, alongside nationality, geography (North-South, East-West), the size of the country and political affiliation, gender can also be seen as a criterion when European leaders horse-trade over top EU jobs. According to the Commission's roadmap for equality between women and men, "women continue to be under-represented in political and economic decision-making".
Currently, only two of the 27 EU heads of state and government are women: Angela Merkel in Germany and Dalia Grybauskaite in Lithuania. The Commission has never had a female president, while just two of 13 European Parliament presidents have been female since direct elections were introduced in 1979. These were both Frenchwomen, Simone Veil (1979-1982) and Nicole Fontaine (1999-2002).
Returning to national service
In January, EurActiv broke the story that the next European Commission may feature as many as twenty new faces (EurActiv 28/01/09), with most of its current members expected to leave the EU executive on their own initiative or as a result of changing national political contexts. In the end, thirteen commissioners will stay in office according to the list of 'commissioners-designate for the next Commission
' published on 25 November 2009, three of them having been members of the 2004-2009 Commission for less than six months (see table below).
It is relatively common for commissioners to leave their positions during or at the end of their mandates in order to take national office, usually in government. High-profile 'defectors' in 2008 included Peter Mandelson (EurActiv 06/10/08) and Franco Frattini (EurActiv 10/03/08).
Critics often argue that this weakens the Commission, both in terms of its administrative continuity and general public perception. Indeed, earlier this year, Dalia Grybauskaitė, at the time the EU's commissioner for budget and financial planning, left Brussels to successfully run for the Lithuanian presidency (EurActiv 18/05/09).
Of particular interest this year, however, was the fact that a number of commissioners put themselves forward for June's EU elections as high-profile names on their national party lists. According to EU rules, if commissioners choose to return to their home countries to engage in active campaigning, they must leave their positions. However, if they simply attach their name to a party list, they are not required to step down.
As a result, a commissioner could in theory head an electoral list in their member state and win many votes due to his/her high profile, then decide to not take up their seat in the European Parliament, thus passing their seat to the next person on the list and all the while continuing to work for the EU executive. Indeed, this is precisely what happened when Commissioners Meglena Kuneva, Louis Michel, Danuta Hübner and Viviane Reding topped polls in Bulgaria, Belgium, Poland and Luxembourg respectively. Only Hübner and Michel decided to enter the new Parliament.
Table of commissioners:
|
Country |
Name and current role of commissioner |
Commissioner-designate |
Portfolio |
EurActiv coverage |
|
Portugal |
José Manuel Barroso President |
Reappointed. |
Barroso will serve another term as president, and with a reinforced mandate could construct a more dynamic, policy-driven role for himself. |
|
|
Sweden |
Margot Wallström Vice-President Institutional Relations and Communication Strategy |
Swedish Minister for European Affairs Cecilia Malmström (ALDE) was officially proposed by Swedish government to replace Wallström who served two terms. |
Changes are expected. |
|
|
Germany |
Günter Verheugen Vice-President Enterprise and Industry |
Günther Oettinger, a Christian Democrat, minister-president of Baden-Württemberg since 2005, will replace Social Democrat Verheugen, who will retire. This choice marks the return of a CDU member to the Commission after a 20-year absence. |
Brussels think-tank Bruegel argued that the Commission should "go back to the situation that prevailed until the early 1990s" and merge the internal market and industrial affairs portfolios. Germany wants the trade chief post, diplomats said, or the economic and monetary affairs, or possibly a bolstered industry portfolio. |
|
|
France |
Jacques Barrot Vice-President Justice, Freedom and Security |
While Barrot has announced his willingness to serve another term, Nicolas Sarkozy confirmed on 30 October he wanted former French Foreign Affairs and Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier (EPP) as his replacement. He is currently the head of the French delegation in the European Parliament. |
France would like to get internal market portfolio, including the financial services. |
|
|
Estonia |
Siim Kallas Vice-President Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud |
Reappointed by the Estonian government on 17 September, Siim Kallas will remain commissioner and could even keep the same portfolio. |
He could could keep his current portfolio or get the budget one. |
|
|
Italy |
Antonio Tajani Vice-President Transport |
Antonio Tajani has been reappointed. |
Tajani is pushing strongly to keep the transport dossier. He said he is in favour of a "special fund for transport" to finance investment in the sector. |
|
|
Luxembourg |
Viviane Reding Information Society and Media Commissioner |
Viviane Reding will serve a third term with the same portfolio, having topped the poll in European elections. |
Rumours are rife that Barroso may create a new 'digital' portfolio to replace the current information society brief, as desired by Reding. Such a move would strengthen the commissioner's hand in enforcing competition in the telecommunications market as well as addressing the thorny issue of digital copyright. |
|
|
Greece |
Stavros Dimas Environment Commissioner |
Maria Damanaki, a member of the Hellenic Parliament within the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), was chosen by Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou to replace Dimas. |
Greece is expecting the environment portfolio, but Denmark wants it too. Barroso wants a commissioner for 'climate action'. However, it remains to be seen which specific directorates will fall under that remit, besides those currently under the environment portfolio. A big country may expect to be awarded this new brief. |
|
|
Spain |
Joaquín Almunia Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner |
Joaquín Almunia has been reappointed. |
He could keep the economic and monetary affairs portfolio or get competition. |
|
|
Poland |
Paweł Samecki Regional Policy Commissioner |
Janusz Lewandowski, a centre-right MEP and economist from the ruling Civic Platform party, has been designated to replace Paweł Samecki, who replaced Danuta Hübner when she was elected as an MEP. |
Poland is seeking to secure either the budget, economic and monetary affairs, single market or enterprise and industry portfolios. But the difficulties the country created during negotiations on the Lisbon Treaty, and its subsequent ratification, may hamper its ambitions. |
|
|
Malta |
Joe Borg Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Commissioner |
Social Policy Minister John Dalli has been designated to replace Borg. |
Dalli has a background in finance and administration but Malta is not expecting any portfolio in particular. |
|
|
Lithuania |
Algirdas Šemeta Financial Programming and Budget Commissioner |
Algirdas Šemeta arrived in Brussels in July 2009 after Dalia Grybauskaité had left the Commission to become Lithuanian president. He has been reappointed by the government. |
Lithuania could keep the budget portfolio in the new Commission. |
|
|
Slovenia |
Janez Potočnik Science and Research Commissioner |
Janez Potočnik has been appointed for a second term by the Slovenian government. |
Experts told EurActiv that "if the president is serious about research and development and the new Lisbon Agenda, then it could make sense to have a commissioner for human capital, encompassing R&D and the modernisation of the European economies in a forward-looking manner". |
|
|
Slovakia |
Maroš Šefčovič Education, Training, Culture and Youth Commissioner |
Slovakia's government-nominated EU Ambassador Maroš Šefčovič to replace Ján Figel' in September 2009. |
The portfolio could be restructured in the event that the research and development job is rethought, but Slovakia is eyeing a "stronger portfolio," preferably energy, enlargement or transport. |
|
|
Finland |
Olli Rehn Enlargement Commissioner |
Olli Rehn has been confirmed by Finnish PM Matti Vanhanen as the country's candidate for the commissioner's post. |
No changes expected, though Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen and Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb are lobbying for a prominent portfolio for Rehn like trade. |
|
|
Belgium |
Karel de Gucht Development and Humanitarian Aid Commissioner |
Karel De Gucht, former Belgian minister for foreign affairs, has been reappointed as the post was handed over to a Fleming as foreseen by Belgium's principle of language rotation. He has replaced Louis Michel in the current Commission, elected to the European Parliament. |
He could keep the same portfolio but Belgium is hoping to secure energy or trade. |
|
|
Hungary |
László Kovács Taxation and Customs Union Commissioner |
László Andor, an economist and member of the Board of Directors of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development since 2005, is the candidate designated to succeed Kovács. He is not affiliated to any political party but has the support of the governing Socialists (MSZP). |
Andor would like to get regional policy. |
|
|
Netherlands |
Neelie Kroes Competition Commissioner |
Neelie Kroes has been reappointed for another five-year term. |
Kroes is likely to get an economic portfolio: economic and monetary affairs or trade. |
|
|
Denmark |
Mariann Fischer Boel Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner |
Connie Hedegaard has been confirmed as Denmark's next commissioner, and is eyeing the climate change dossier. On 15 September, Mariann Fischer Boel confirmed that she is stepping down. |
Denmark will likely seek the climate portfolio. |
|
|
Austria |
Benita Ferrero-Waldner External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy Commissioner |
Science Minister Johannes Hahn will be Austria's next EU commissioner and will replace Ferrero-Waldner, who did not have the support of her government. |
Until the next Commission takes over, Ferrero-Waldner will take the trade portfolio previously held by Catherine Ashton. |
|
|
Ireland |
Charlie McCreevy Internal Market and Services Commissioner |
Máire Geoghegan-Quinn is Ireland's official candidate. In 1979, she became the first woman to hold an Irish cabinet post since the foundation of the state in 1922, as minister for the Gaeltacht. She is currently Ireland's representative to the European Court of Auditors. |
Geoghan-Quinn is tipped to take the budget portfolio. |
|
|
Czech Republic |
Vladimír Špidla Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Commissioner |
Stefan Füle, the current European affairs minister, has been designated by the Czech Republic. Füle has served as ambassador to Lithuania, the United Kingdom and NATO. In May 2009, when he was named a minister in Jan Fischer's government, his communist past and the fact that he studied at the Soviet State Institute for International Relations in Moscow sparked debate. |
Czech Republic is interested in energy and enlargement portfolios. |
|
|
Latvia |
Andris Piebalgs Energy Commissioner |
Andris Piebalgs was nominated by his government for a second term to oversee energy issues in the 27-member bloc. |
The portfolio could be reshuffled to reflect changing priorities. Experts told EurActiv that the portfolios of energy, transport and natural resources will take a front-line position in the next Commission and provoke a debate over which commissioner gets what. Czech Republic, Slovakia and Bulgaria are also interested in this portfolio. |
|
|
Bulgaria |
Meglena Kuneva Consumer Protection Commissioner |
Rumiania Jeleva, a former MEP and current foreign minister, will replace Kuneva. |
Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has announced that Bulgaria is expecting the energy portfolio. Bulgaria is also interested in enlargement and regional policy portfolios. |
|
|
Romania |
Leonard Orban Multilingualism Commissioner |
As reported by EurActiv Romania, former Agriculture Minister Dacian Ciolos will be the country's new commissioner. |
The Romanian government will push hard for him to be given the agriculture portfolio. Some experts have called for a European culture commissioner, arguing that "right now we have one commissioner for education and culture and one for multilingualism. There is a reasonably sound case to re-aligning those two, allowing a strong European culture commissioner to cover not only issues generally pertaining to European culture, but also to deal with minorities and languages". |
|
|
Cyprus |
Androulla Vassiliou Health Commissioner |
Androulla Vassiliou wants to serve a full term and has been reappointed. |
She could keep health or get the new fundamental rights portfolio. |
|
|
United Kingdom |
Catherine Ashton Trade Commissioner |
During the extraordinary summit of 19 November, Catherine Ashton was appointed EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and becomes a vice-president of the Commission, in charge of external relations. |
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Vice-President of the Commission. |
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(12 November 2009)
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