Ekaterina Zaharieva is in charge of Startups, research and innovation
Ursula von der Leyen has revealed her nominated team of European commissioners and the policy areas or “portfolios” she will ask them to lead over the next five years, ending weeks of speculation.
The speculations about who will take the post of Commissioner for Agriculture and Food have been justified. That would be Christophe Hansen from Luxembourg. He is 42 years old and has been an MEP from the European People’s Party until now.
Hansen comes from a farming family and his cousin Martin Hansen is Luxembourg’s Minister of Agriculture. As an MEP, he led the negotiations on the new EU rules on deforestation and worked on the management of the national plans for the EU’s agricultural policy. He is expected to depolarize the agricultural battleground, bringing his expertise on environmental and trade issues.
The Bulgarian candidate for commissioner, Ekaterina Zaharieva, will be in charge of Startups, research and innovation. These are not areas in which the jurist Zaharieva has experience, as until now she has been Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, Minister of Justice and Minister of Foreign Affairs in our country.
And what resources did the neighbors get?
Greek Commissioner Apostolos Tsitsokostas was given the portfolio for transport and tourism.
Roxana Minzatu from Romania has been announced as Vice-President for People, Skills and Readiness, Commissioner for Skills, Education, Quality Jobs and Social Rights.
The candidacies are to be confirmed by the European Parliament after the MPs “test” the commissioners proposed by von der Leyen.
Here is the proposed lineup:
Ursula von der Leyen (Germany): President of the European Commission
Teresa Ribera (Spain): Vice President for Clean, Fair and Competitive Transition. Acts as Competition Commissioner.
Hena Virkunen (Finland): Vice President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy
Stéphane Séjournet (France): Vice President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy
Roxana Minzatu (Romania): Vice-President for People, Skills and Readiness
Raffaele Fito (Italy): Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms
Kaya Kalas (Estonia): High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy
Magnus Bruner (Austria): Home Affairs and Migration
Hadja Lahbib (Belgium): Preparedness, crisis management. Equality
Ekaterina Zaharieva (Bulgaria): Startups, research and innovation
Dubravka Suica (Croatia): Mediterranean Sea. Responsible for relations with Mediterranean neighbors in the Middle East and North Africa.
Costas Cadiz (Cyprus): Fisheries and Oceans
Josef Sikela (Czech Republic): International partnerships. This covers international development costs and the EU’s rival to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Dan Jorgensen (Denmark): Energy and housing construction
Apostolos Tsitsikostas (Greece): Sustainable transport and tourism
Olivér Várhelyi (Hungary): Animal health and welfare
Michael McGrath (Ireland): Democracy, justice and the rule of law
Valdis Dombrovskis (Latvia): Economy and performance, implementation and simplification
Andrews Kubilius (Lithuania): Defense and space
Christophe Hansen (Luxembourg): Agriculture and food
Glen Micallef (Malta): intergenerational justice, youth, culture and sport
Wopke Hoekstra (Netherlands): Climate, Net-Zero and Clean Growth
Piotr Serafin (Poland): Budget, anti-fraud, public administrations
Maria Luis Alburquerque (Portugal): Financial services
Maros Šefčović (Slovakia): Trade and economic security, inter-institutional relations and transparency
Marta Kos (Slovenia): Expansion
Jessica Rosvall (Sweden): Environment, water resistance and competitive circular economy
#Farmers #son #Christophe #Hansen #Luxembourg #expected #run #Agriculture #Food
