Today's Movers & Shakers are about: New EU Parliament Chief Negotiator on Brexit, Commission DGs' updates, new Heads of External Action Delegations and more.
European Parliament:
On Thursday 8 September the Conference of Presidents appointed the President of ALDE group Guy VERHOFSTADT (BE) as Chief Negotiator for Brexit matters. VERHOFSTADT who will be European Commission negotiator Michel BARNIER's counterpart, will be informing the Conference of Presidents about the ongoing developments and will assist in the preparation of the Parliament's position. Read more.
Outgoing:
Richard HOWITT (S&D, UK) announced that after 22 years he is to step down as an MEP later this year to take up a new role as Chief Executive of the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC).
Substitutes of the Committees, Subcommittees and the Delegations:
Jane Collins (EFDD, UK) switched from member to substitute of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL).
Plenary session:
MEPs are heading to Strasbourg from Monday 12 to Thursday 15 September. On Tuesday 12 September, the UK's new Commissioner-designate, Sir Julian KING will be heard before the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee (LIBE).
European Commission
Directorates General:
Communication (COMM):
Directorate A – Strategy and Corporate Communications: Renaud SOUFFLOT DE MAGNY became acting Head of Unit, ‘Strategy, Corporate Communication Actions and Eurobarometer’, replacing Ian BARBER.
Directorate D – Resources: Marc SIEVERS became acting Head of Unit, ‘Budget, Accounting and Logistics’, replacing Fabrizia DE ROSA who became Director.
Communications Networks, Content and Technology (CNNCT):
Directorate D – Policy Strategy and Outreach: Manuel MATEO GOYET became acting Head of Unit, ‘Policy Implementation and Planning’, replacing Enrico FORTI who became a Director in DG Secretariat General.
Directorate E – Future Networks: Pearse O’DONOHUE became acting Director, replacing Mario CAMPOLARGO who moved to DG Informatics to become Deputy Director-General. Mr O’DONOHUE is also Head of Unit, ‘Cloud and Software’.
Competition (COMP):
Directorate B – Energy and Environment: Hanna ANTTILAINEN became Head of Unit, ‘Mergers’, filling a vacant position.
Directorate G – Cartels: Gudrun SCHMIDT leaves the Directorate as acting Head of Unit, ‘Cartels I’. The role ‘Cartels Settlements’ is dissolved and the remaining staff are reassigned a ‘Cartels’ unit.
Directorate F – Transport, Post and other services: Sophie MOONEN became Head of Unit, ‘State aid Transport’, replacing Nicolas IMBERT who was acting in the role.
Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (EMPL):
Directorate B – Employment: Charlotte GREVFORS ERNOULT became acting Head of Unit, ‘Health and Safety’, replacing Maria-Teresa MOITINHO DE ALMEIDA.
Directorate D – Labour Mobility: Antonio GARCIA GIL became acting Head of Unit, ‘France, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg’, replacing Egidio CANCIANI.
European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF):
Directorate B - Investigations II: Cvetelina CHOLAKOVA became Head of Unit, ‘Agriculture and Structural Funds I’, replacing Antonio BELLUCCI who was acting in the role.
Francesco ALBORE became Head of Unit, ‘Agricultural and Structural Funds III’, having previously acted in the role.
Directorate C – Investigation Support: Vasile DUMITRESCU became acting Head of Unit, ‘Information Systems Infrastructure’, replacing Pavel BORKOVEC.
Internal Audit Service (IAS):
Jeffrey MASON became acting Director-General, replacing Philippe TAVERNE. Mr MASON is also Director of Directorate B, ‘Audit in Commission and Executive Agencies I’.
Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (GROW):
Directorate E – Hubert GAMBS became Director, ‘Modernisation of the Single Market’, replacing Joaquim NUNES de ALMEDIA was acting in the role.
International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO):
Directorate C – Sustainable Growth and Development: Felice ZACCHEO became acting Head of Unit, ‘Sustainable Energy and Climate Change’, replacing Peter CRAIG MCQUAIDE.
Task Force – Knowledge, Performance and Results: Franco CONZATO became acting Head of Unit, ‘Quality and Results’, replacing Jan TEN BLOEMENDAL.
Joint Research Centre (JRC):
Directorate C – Energy, Transport and Climate: Diana REMBGES became acting Head of Unit, ‘Energy and Efficiency and Renewables’, replacing Heinz OSSENBRINK.
Justice and Consumers (JUST):
Directorate B – Criminal Justice: Ingrid BELLANDER TODINO became acting Head of Unit, ‘Procedural criminal law’, replacing Olivier TELL.
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Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MARE):
Directorate C – Atlantic, Outermost Regions and Arctic: Maja KIRCHNER became Head of Unit, ‘Fisheries conservation and control’, replacing Jacques VERBORGH. Mr VERBORGH became an Adviser in the Directorate on ‘Norway and Faroe Islands’.
Directorate D – Mediterranean and Black Sea: Valérie LAINE became acting Director, replacing Hubert GAMBS. Ms LAINE is also Head of Unit, ‘Fisheries conservation and control’.
Directorate F – Resources: Andrew MATHISON became Head of Unit, ‘Budget, public procurement and control’, having acted in the role whilst Deputy Head.
Regional and Urban Policy (REGIO):
Directorate A – Budget and General Affairs: Sabine BOURDY became Head of Unit, ‘Outermost regions’, replacing Pascale WOLFCARIUS.
Directorate C – Audit: Deputy Head Rafael LOPEZ SANCHEZ became acting Head of Unit, ‘Coordination of audit, relations with the Court of Auditors and OLAF’, replacing Christophe DE LASSUS.
Directorate F – Operational Efficiency and Central Europe: Andreas VON BUSCH became Head of Unit, ‘Czech Republic’, replacing Deputy Head Gabriela HERNANDEZ-MARTIN who was acting in the role.
Deputy Head Michaela BRIZOVA became acting Head of Unit, ‘Slovakia’, replacing Sabine BOURDY who moved to Directorate A.
Directorate G – Smart and Sustainable Growth and Southern Europe: Colin WOLFE became acting Director, replacing Charlina VITCHEVA who was appointed as Deputy Director-General in DG JRC.
Office for the Administration and Payment of Individual Entitlements (PMO):
Giuseppe SCOGNAMIGLIO became acting Director-General, replacing Marc LEMAÎTRE who was appointed Director-General in DG REGIO. Mr SCOGNAMIGLIO is also Head of Unit, ‘Pensions and relations with former staff’.
Publications Office (OP):
Directorate A – Core Business Services: Pavel BORKOVEC became Head of Unit, ‘IT Infrastructure and Security’, replacing Patrick MEYER who was acting in the role.
Research and Innovation (RTD):
Directorate A – Policy Development and Coordination: Minna WILKKI became Head of Unit, ‘Internal and external communication’, replacing Stephen PARKER who was acting in the role.
Directorate B – Open Innovation and Open Science: Magda DE CARLI became acting Head of Unit, ‘Spreading of excellence and widening participation’, replacing Dimitri CORPAKIS.
Spokesperson’s Service (SPP):
Competition: Angela NARDELLA joined SPP as Press Officer.
Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, International Cooperation and Development: Carlos Martin RUIZ DE GORDEJUELA replaced Alexandre POLACK as Spokesperson. Mr POLACK joined the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) as a Project Manager.
Trade (TRADE):
Directorate A – Resources, Information and Policy Coordination: Paulo GARZOTTI left his role as Head of Unit, ‘Policy Coordination and Inter-institutional Relations’.
Fabrice VAN OOST became Head of Unit, ‘Information Technology and IT Systems’.
Directorate G – Trade Strategy and Analysis, Market Access: Francisco PEREZ CANADO became Head of Unit, ‘Market Access, Industry, Energy and Raw Materials’.
Delegations in Member States:
Denmark: Stina SOEWARTA has been appointed Head of Representation and will take up her position on 16 September. She will replace Michael VEDSØ, who has been acting in the role. Ms SOEWARTA is currently Head of Unit, ‘Communication and Transparency’, in DG International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO).
European External Action Service (EEAS):
EU External Delegations:
On 2 September High Representative Federica MOGHERINI announced the appointment of 11 new Heads of Delegations. This follows the announcement on 20 July of the appointment of 17 Heads of Delegations. These appointments follow the framework of regular rotation for this year.
Barbados: Daniela TRAMACERE, previously Chargé d’Affaires at the EU Delegation to Trinidad and Tobago, was appointed Head replacing Silvia KOFLER who was Chargé d’Affaires.
Timor-Leste: Alexandre LEITAO, previously Diplomatic Advisor at the Office of the Prime Minister of Portugal, was appointed Head replacing Sylvie TABESSE.
Guatemala: Stefano GATTO, previously Deputy Head of EU Delegation to Pakistan, was appointed Head replacing Styliani ZERVOUDAKI.
Jamaica and Belize: Malgorzata WASILEWSKA, previously Head of Division ‘Conflict Prevention, Peace Building and Mediation’ in EEAS, was appointed Head replacing Chargé d’Affaires José Luis MARTINEZ PRADA.
Laos: Leo FABER, previously Deputy Secretary General for Luxembourg Foreign Ministry, was appointed Head replacing Chargé d’Affaires Michel GOFFIN.
Libya: Bettina MUSCHEIDT, previously Head of Delegation to Yemen, was appointed Head replacing Nataliya APOSTOLOVA.
Malaysia: Maria CASTILLO FERNANDEZ, previously Head of Division ‘Indian, Nepal, Bhutan and SAARC’ in EEAS, was appointed Head replacing Luc VANDEBON.
Sri Lanka and the Maldives: Tung-Lai MARGUE, previously Director of Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) in the Commission, was appointed Head replacing David DALY.
Sudan: Jean-Michel DUMOND, previously Head of EU Delegation to the Democratic Republic of Congo, was appointed Head replacing Tomas ULICNY.
Trinidad and Tobago: Arend BIESEBROEK, previously Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Zambia, was appointed Head replacing Daniela TRAMACERE.
EU Missions to International Organisations:
Paris – OECD/UNESCO: Rupert SCHLEGELMILCH, previously Director ‘Services and Investment, Intellectual Property and Public Procurement’ at DG Trade of the Commission, was appointed Head replacing Maria-Francesca SPATOLISANO.
Council of the European Union:
General Secretariat:
Directorate-General A – Administration:
Directorate 1 – Human Resources and Personnel Administration: Malgorzata STECKO became Head of Unit, ‘Internal Communication’, replacing Sonia FUMAGALLI.
Alain PILETTE moved from his role as Head of Unit, ‘Legal Advisers’ to Directorate-General D. He took up the role as Head of Unit, ‘2A – Judicial Cooperation in Civil Matters and e-Justice’, replacing Fernando Rui PAULINO PEREIRA.
Directorate 3 – Translation: Katelijin SERLET left her role in Group B as Head of Unit, ‘Dutch language’.
Directorate-General B – Agriculture, Fisheries, Social Affairs and Health:
Directorate 2 – Fisheries, Food chain and Veterinary questions: Jakob THOMSEN became Head of Unit, ‘Public Health and Foodstuffs’, replacing Juraj SYKORA.
Directorate-General D – Communication and Information (was: Communication and Document Management):
Directorate 2 – Information and Knowledge Management (was: Document Management)
Unit 2A. – Information Management (was: Document Coordination and Processing)
Unit 2B. – Knowledge Management (was: Archives, Records and Documentation): Fernando Rui PAULINO PEREIRA became Head of Unit replacing Malgorzata STECKO.
Unit 2C. – Innovation and Projects (was: Transparency and access to documents): Juraj SYKORA became Head of Unit replacing Jakob THOMSEN.
Permanent Representations:
Slovenia: Janez LENARČIČ took over from Rado GENORIO as Permanent Representative on 1 September.
European Stability Mechanism (ESM):
Board of Governors:
Alexandre DE GEEST replaced Marc MONBALIU as Alternate Member for Belgium.
Senior Management:
Maurice HICKEY was appointed as ‘Head of Middle and Back Office and Portfolio Performance’, replacing Françoise BLONDEEL who is now a member of the EMS Management Board.
General Court:
On 7 September 14 judges were appointed to the General Court. Seven appointments are part of the partial renewal of the Court that takes place every three years. Six are the result of the reform of the Court and one follows the resignation of Carl WETTER.
Partial renewal (for a term of office ending on 31 August 2022):
Barna BERKE (HU)
Ricardo Da SILVA PASSOS (PT)
Octavia SPINEANU-MATEI (RO)
Zoltán CSEHI (HU)
Constantinos ILIOPOULOS (EL)
Anna MARCOULLI (CY)
Dean SPIELMANN (LU)
Reform of the General Court:
First stage of reform with term ending on 31 August 2019:
Jan PASSER (CZ)
Second stage of reform with term ending on 31 August 2019:
Alexander KORNEZOV (BU)
Ezio PERILLO (IT)
Second stage of reform with term ending on 31 August 2022:
René BARENTS (NL)
Maria JOSÉ COSTEIRA (PT)
Jesper SVENNINGSEN (DK)
Court of Justice:
Evgeni TANCHEV (BU) was appointed as advocate-general for a term ending on 6 October 2021.
European Court of Auditors (ECA):
The European Parliament’s Budgetary Control Committee approved the nomination of the following as Members of the European Court of Auditors:
Leo BRINCAT (MT)
João FIGUEIREDO (PT)
Lazaros S. LAZAROU (CY) – renewal
The nominations will go to the full Parliament for a final vote later in September. If approved the members will serve a six year term.
European Medicines Agency (EMA):
The Head of International Affairs Emer COOKE is set to leave her position to take up a new role as Head of Regulation of Medicines and other Health Technologies in the Essential Medicines and Health Products Department at the World Health Organisation (WHO) in mid-November. Head of Portfolio Board, Agnès SAINT-RAYMOND will be acting the role.
Public affairs:
Acuitas Communications: a new communication was officially launched with offices in Brussels, London and Mauritius. The agency will provide PR services, including corporate communications, public affairs and crisis management. Samantha SEEWOOSURRUN will be managing the Brussels office. Prior to this, she was Partner and Head of Newgate Brussels.
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Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE): Annick CARPENTIER was appointed as the new Director, taking over from Kristian HALL who was acting Director and will continue now as President. CARPENTIER was previously Sustainability Director at Eurometaux, the European Federation of the Non-Ferrous Metals Industry.
European Crop Protection Association (ECPA): Jean-Philippe AZOULAY was appointed as the new Director-General, replacing Jean-Charles BOCQUET, who retires in the end of October. AZOULAY is not foreign to ECPA, as he has previously served as President of the association. He started as Director General-elect on 5 September his role will officially be confirmed by the General Assembly on 24 November.
News in a nutshell:
Croatia: The elections held on Sunday 11 September were inconclusive. According to the preliminary results, the party of Andrej PLENKOVIĆ MEP, Croatian Democratic Union (EPP) won most of the seats, but fell short of a parliamentary majority.
Slovakia: Roman BRECELY resigned as Minister for Transport, Construction and Regional Development on 30 August after an internal dispute in his centre-right party, Network that saw five out of its seven MPs asking to join the Bridge (EPP) as coalition partner and changing the balance in the government. State Secretary Árpád ÉRSEK replaced him.
Romania: Dragos TUDORACHE replaced Petre TOBA who resigned as Interior Minister.
