European Parliament:
Outgoing:
Gianluca BUONANNO (ENF, IT) died in a car accident on Sunday 5 June. Francesco BRUZZONE is next in line to replace him.
Incoming:
Jakop DALUNDE (Greens/EFA, SE) officially joined the Parliament on 7 June, replacing Peter ERIKSSON, who was appointed as Minister for Housing and Digitalisation in the Swedish cabinet, following a reshuffle.
Members of the Committees, Subcommittees and Delegations:
Laima Liucija ANDRIKIENĖ (EPP, LT) joined the Committee on International Trade (INTA), the Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) and the Delegation to the EU-Kazakhstan, EU-Kyrgyzstan, EU-Uzbekistan and EU-Tajikistan Parliamentary Cooperation Committees and for relations with Turkmenistan and Mongolia (D-CAS).
Sorin MOISĂ (S&D, RO) left the Delegation for relations with the countries of Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (D-ASE) and joined the Delegation for relations with the United States (D-US).
Daciana Octavia SÂRBU (S&D, RO) left the Delegation for relations with the United States (D-US) and joined the Delegation for relations with the countries of Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (D-ASE).
Substitutes of the Committees, Subcommittees and Delegations:
Laima Liucija ANDRIKIENĖ (EPP, LT) joined the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) and the Delegation for relations with the United States (D-US).
Nikolay BAREKOV (ECR, BU) left the Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (D-ACP).
Ryszard CZARNECKI (ECR, PL) joined the Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (D-ACP).
Monica MACOVEI (ECR, RO) joined the Delegation for relations with the United States (D-US).
Sophia in 't VELD (ALDE, NL) left the Delegation for relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo (D-SEE) and joined the Delegation to the EU-Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee (D-ME).
Jasenko SELIMOVIC (ALDE, SE) left the Delegation to the EU-Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee (D-ME) and joined the Delegation for relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo (D-SEE).
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Plenary highlights:
Special Committees: MEPs voted in favour of setting up a new Committee of Inquiry that will look into the Panama Papers revelations. The new Committee will be comprised of 65 members and will have to present its report in twelve months. Its first formal meeting will take place before the summer break. Burkhard BALZ (EPP, DE) is leading the negotiations on the mandate for the Committee. Sven GIEGOL (DE), Moly SCOTT CATO (UK), Eva JOLY (FR) and Pascal DURAND (FR) from the Greens have already been selected as members. Read more.
Intergroups: Sirpa PIETIKÄINEN (EPP, FI) was elected as the new President of the Welfare and Conservation of Animals Intergroup. Jadwiga WIŚNIEWSKA (ECR, PL) and Petras AUŠTREVICIUS (ALDE, LT) were elected as Vice-Presidents.
Parliamentary immunity: Parliament has confirmed it will rule on the immunity of Jane COLLINS (EFDD, UK) who faces potentially legal costs in a libel case. Read more.
A French court has asked the European Parliament to lift the immunity of Front National (FN) MEPs Jean-Marie LE PEN and Jean-François JALKH. French courts are looking to prosecute LE PEN for making anti-Semitic remarks. JALKH is accused of having encouraged FN officials to discriminate against foreigners when allocating social housing.
European Commission:
Cabinets:
Federica MOGHERINI team: Fabrizia PANZETTI was promoted from member to Head of cabinet, replacing Stefano MANSERVISI, who was appointed as Director-General of DG DEVCO on 16 May. Giulio DI BLASI joined the cabinet as member.
Directorates General:
Informatics (DIGIT):
Directorate A – Digital Workplace Solutions: Yves PATERNOSTER moved from Directorate C to become Head of Unit, A2. Office Automation and Mobility Solutions, replacing Marc FEIDT.
Directorate C – Digital Infrastructure Solutions: Gunnar OPSOMMER became acting Head of Unit, C1. Cloud, Innovation and Relationship Management, replacing Yves PATERNOSTER who moved to Directorate A.
Interpretation (SCIC):
Florika FINK-HOOIJER became Director-General on 1 June, replacing Carlos ALGERÍA. Ms FINK-HOOIJER joins DG SCIC from DG ECHO, where she was Director of Strategy, Policy and Internal Cooperation. Mr ALGERÍA continues in his position as Director for Resources and Support.
Directorate C – Provision of Interpretation: Alexandra PANAGAKOU became acting Director, replacing Brian Fox. Ms PANAGAKOU is also Head of Unit, C3. Professional Support for Interpreters.
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Mobility and Transport (MOVE):
Directorate B – European Mobility Network: Herald RUIJTERS became acting Director, replacing Olivier ONIDI who began his role as Deputy Director-General, Migration and Asylum, in DG HOME on 1 June 2016. Mr RUIJTERS continues in his role as Head of Unit, B1. Trans European Network.
Joint Research Centre (JRC):
NEW DIRECTORATE: there will be a new ‘Directorate of Competences’ in the Commission’s DG JRC. It will commence operation on 1 July 2016 and will comprise of Competence Centres, the EU Policy Lab and the European Commission Intellectual Property Rights Service (IPR). The establishment of the Directorate follows on from the launch of two Competence Centres earlier this year (Microeconomic Evaluation and Composite Indicators and Scoreboards). These Centres will work to improve and support EU policy making across the Commission.
Council of the European Union:
Secretariat General:
DG A – Directorate 3B – Translation: Hannu PÖYSTI became Head of Unit, Finnish, filling a previously vacant role.
Permanent Representations:
Italy: Maurizio MASSARI officially took on his post as Permanent Representative, replacing Carlo CALENDA.
European Courts:
General Court of the European Union:
Three new Judges have been appointed to the General Court for the period from 8 June 2016 to 31 August 2019. These appointments follows reform of the judicial structure of the Court of Justice, which provides for an increase in the number of Judges at the General Court:
Inga REINE (LV),
Fredrik SCHALIN (SE) and
Peter George XUEREB (MT)
Court of Auditors:
The European Parliament approved the nomination of candidate Rimantas ŠADŽIUS (LT) as member of the Court of Auditors. ŠADŽIUS, who is currently the Lithuanian Minister for Finance will take up his new role for a six-year term (renewable) once the Council confirms his nomination.
Public affairs:
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European Aluminium: Ani DEAL joined the team as the new Communications Manager.
European Centre of Employers and Enterprises providing Public Services (CEEP): Katherina REICHE was elected as the new President, taking over from Hans-Joachim RECK.
European University Institute (EUI): Renaud DEHOUSSE was appointed as the new President. He will take up his new role in September 2016.
News in a nutshell:
Austria: Freedom Party (ENF) filed a legal challenge to the result of the presidential election. Their candidate Nobert HOFER was defeated in the second round just by 31.000 votes by the former Green Party leader, Alexander VAN DER BELLEN. According to the procedure the Constitutional Court has now four weeks to respond to the challenge, which will be just two weeks before VAN DER BELLEN is to be sworn in.
Croatia: Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav KARAMARKO of the Croatian Democratic Union (EPP) filed a no-confidence motion against technocratic Prime Minister Tihomir OREŠKOVIĆ. Last week the Social Democrats Party (S&D) filed a no-confidence motion against KARAMARKO. The vote that is expected to take place next week brings the government in the edge of collapse.
Germany: President Joachim GAUCK announced that he will not run for a second five-year term in office. His mandate ends in March 2017. The role is largely ceremonial.
