Today's Movers & Shakers are about:
European Parliament:
Vice-Chairs of the Committees, Subcommittees and the Delegations:
Indrek TARAND (Greens/EFA, EE) was elected as the new 2nd Vice-Chair of the Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT).
Substitutes of the Committees, Subcommittees and the Delegations:
Dita CHARANZOVÁ (ALDE, CZ) left the Delegation to the EU-Chile Joint Parliamentary Committee (D-CL) and joined the Delegation to the EU-Mexico Joint Parliamentary Committee (D-MX).
Matthijs van MILTENBURG (ALDE, NL) left the Delegation to the EU-Mexico Joint Parliamentary Committee (D-MX) and joined Delegation to the EU-Chile Joint Parliamentary Committee (D-CL).
Committees’ news:
On 8 November, the AGRI Committee held a workshop entitled: “Reflections on the agricultural challenges post-2020 in the EU: preparing the next CAP reform”. The meeting, which addressed the agriculture challenges post 2020, was structured in three parts: the future of direct payments, the future of market measures and risk management schemes, and the future of the rural development. Read Dods EU Monitoring briefing about the meeting.
Presidency:
ECR candidate for the Parliament’s presidency, Helga STEVENS (BE) gave an interview to the Parliament Magazine and explained why she believes she would be better able to represent all MEPs, how her leadership style would differ from SCHULZ's, and how she would put an end to shady backroom deals. Read more.
Get to know:
Alessia MOSCA (S&D, IT) in 5 questions.
Secretariat:
Directorates General:
Security: Elio CAROZZA became Director-General replacing Francesca RATTI who was acting in the role and retired on 1 November. Mr CAROZZA was Director of ‘Strategy and Resources’ in DG Security and continues to cover the role in an ‘acting’ capacity.
Personnel: Jesús MORENO DIAZ became Director of the ‘Human Resources Development’ Directorate replacing Erika LANDI who was acting in the role. Ms LANDI became Director of the ‘Management of Support and Social Services’ Directorate replacing Pietro ALBA who was acting.
Presidency: a new Directorate, ‘Interinstitutional Affairs and Legislative Coordination’, was established with Nikolas LANE as its Director.
Secretary-General: Markus WINKLER took over the Deputy Secretary-General position from Francesca RATTI following her retirement. Mr WINKLER is also Director-General for the Presidency and will now work to combine the two roles.
Events:
MEP Awards 2017: This year the Parliament Magazine’s MEP Awards is introducing a panel of judges. This year’s judges are:
Brian JOHNSON, Managing Editor of the Parliament Magazine;
Joanna MAYCOCK, Secretary General of the European Women’s Lobby (EWL);
Katie OWENS, Communications Officer at the Cabinet of the President of the Committee of the Regions;
Madi Sharma, Entrepreneur and Founder of the Madi Group;
Ursula PACHL, Deputy Director General at the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC);
Michiel VAN HULTEN, Brussels-based Analyst and independent Consultant;
Colin MACKAY, Managing Director at the Brussels Writing Bureau.
For more information click here. Nominations are still open. Click here to nominate.
Energy Efficiency Package:
Martina WERNER (S&D, DE) in association with E.ON are organising a breakfast round table in the European Parliament on 29 November from 8.00 to 9.30am. The event focuses on the upcoming revision of the Energy Efficiency package by discussing the design of the target and measures to achieve it. The speakers include Marie DONNELLY, Director for Renewables, Research and Innovation, Energy Efficiency, European Commission and Dr Leonard BIRNBAUM, member of the board of E.ON. To register your interest, please contact the events team: events@dods.co.uk
European Commissions:
Cabinets:
Miguel ARIAS CAÑETE: Miguel Sagredo FERNANDEZ joined as Senior Adviser, replacing Yvon SLINGENBERG
Directorates-General:
Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union (FISMA):
Directorate B – Investment and company reporting: Anne-Francoise MELOT became acting Head of Unit, ‘Free movement of Capital and application of EU law’, replacing Stefaan DE RYNCK.
Directorate E – Financial system surveillance and crisis management: Stan MAES became acting Head of Unit, ‘Macroprudential policy and relations with ESRB’, replacing Maria VELENTZA who became a Director in DG COMP as of 1 November.
Human Resources and Security (HR):
Directorate D – Health and Wellbeing: Celso SANCHEZ MARTINEZ became acting Head of Unit, ‘Working Environment and Safety’, replacing Marc BECQUET who was appointed Director of the Commission’s Office in Luxembourg on 1 November.
Internal Audit Service (IAS):
Manfred KRAFF has been appointed as Internal Auditor and Director-General, with the start date to be confirmed. Mr KRAFF is currently Deputy Director-General and Accounting Officer in DG Budget. He will replace Jeffrey MASON who has been acting in the Director-General role.
Latest news – EU Enlargement:
On 9 November the Commission adopted its annual Enlargement Package. Amongst the usual updates on candidate countries, with which accession negotiation have already been started, was the recommendation that Member States begin conversations with Albania. This came as a result of Albania’s commitment to judicial reforms, which were a key requirement to their consideration for accession.
European Agencies:
European Judicial Co-operation Unit (Eurojust): National Member for Germany, Klaus MEYER-CABRI, was elected as Vice-President replacing Spain’s Francisco JIMÉNEZ-VILLAREJO, who came to the end of his three-year term. Mr MEYER-CABRI has been a member of Eurojust since 1 September 2014 and will serve a three-year term as Vice-President.
Permanent Representations:
Sweden: Lars DANIELSSON took up his new position as the new Permanent Representative on 7 November, succeeding Anders AHNLID.
Missions to the EU:
On 10 November President of the European Council Donald TUSK received the letters of credentials of the following Ambassadors and Heads of Mission to the EU:
Singapore: Jaya RATNAM replaced Eng Chuan ONG.
Namibia: Kaire Munionganda MBUENDE replaced Lavinia NAUNYANGO who was acting as Chargé d’Affaires.
Bahrain: Bahiya Jawad ALJISHI presented her credentials having taken up the role in 2015.
Yemen: Mohamed TAHA MUSTAFA replaced Abdulla SHAHER MOHAMMED SAIF who was acting as Chargé d’Affaires.
Serbia: Ana HRUSTANOVIĆ replaced Duško LOPANDIĆ.
South Africa: Baso SANGQU replaced Suhayfa E. ZIA who was acting as Chargé d’Affaires.
Committee of the Regions (CoR):
The following changes took place on 8 November:
Italy: Giuseppe RINALDI (PES) became a Member having served as an Alternate since 2015.
Poland: Gustaw Marek BRZEZIN (EPP) and Dariusz Antoni STRUGAŁA (NI) became Members. Jacek KRUPA (EPP) and Wojciech SAŁUGA (EPP) joined as an Alternate Members. Wladyslaw ORTYL (ECR) went from Alternate to Member.
Sweden: Mohamad HASSAN (ALDE) joined the CoR as an Alternate Member.
Public Affairs:
Association of European Producers of Steel for Packaging (APEAL): Alexis VAN MAERCKE was appointed as the new Secretary General as of 17 November, succeeding Alexander MOHR. Prior to this he was Policy Officer at the European Commission, DG GROW.
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European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU): Isolde KUNKEL-WEBER was elected as the new President on 8 November. She was previously Vice-President of EPSU. Mette NORD was elected as Vice-President.
International Geothermal Association (IGA): Alexander RICHTER was appointed as the new President.
News in a nutshell:
Brexit: Following the decision of the High Court on triggering Article 50, according to which the Prime Minister is not entitled to launch the process of leaving the EU without first consulting MPs, Theresa MAY has vowed to appeal the ruling. The hearing will take place in the beginning of December.
Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Tom WATSON insisted that Labour will not block Article 50. His comments appeared to contradict Mr CORBYN, who at first seemed to be threatening to block Article 50 unless the Government signs up to his "Brexit bottom lines" in areas like workers' rights and access to the European single market. But the party was later forced to clarify it would not stand in the way of Article 50 legislation. Read more.
The UK Government's fall-back plan for triggering Brexit was thrown into confusion on 7 November after Work and Pensions Secretary Damian GREEN suggested the government could present a one-line resolution to parliament on invoking withdrawal negotiations, rather than a bill. His comments stand in direct contradiction to Brexit Secretary David DAVIS, who last week said a full Act of Parliament would be needed if the Government is unable to trigger Brexit unilaterally. Read more.
Meanwhile, MEP and prominent Brexit campaigner Nigel FARAGE (EFDD) announced that he is planning to lead 100.000 demonstrators in a march on the Supreme Court ahead of the hearing which begins on 5 December. Read more.
In Scotland, First Minister Nicola STURGEON launched a legal bid to give the Scottish Parliament the right to stop the UK Government triggering Article 50. Read more.
Bulgaria: Socialist-backed and pro-Russian Rumen RADEV won the second round of the presidential election that was held on Sunday 13 November. Following the result, Prime Minister Boyko BORISSOV, GERB (EPP) tendered his cabinet's resignation to the National Assembly on Monday 14 November.
Estonia: Prime Minister Taavi RÕIVAS, Reform Party (ALDE) lost a vote of confidence on 9 November and was forced to resign. Coalition talks between the Centre Party (ALDE), the Social Democrats (S&D) and the Pro Patris and IRL (EPP) are ongoing and an agreement is expected by the end of the week.
Germany: On Monday 14 November CDU and CSU parties backed Foreign Minister Frank-Walter STEINMEIER for President next year.
US presidential elections: Against all predictions Donald TRUMP swept to power winning 276 college votes against the favourite, Democrat candidate, Hilary CLINTON, who only won 218 college votes. His victory has sent shockwaves around the world and raised concerns over European defence. Read more.
EU parliamentary groups and MEPs have expressed their shock at TRUMP's stunning victory and fear for the EU-US relations under TRUMP’s administration.
Chair of the European Parliament's delegation to the US, David MCALLISTER (EPP, DE), was also shocked by the result saying, "The outcome of this presidential election is not what we expected. Nevertheless, Mr TRUMP was freely elected and his presidency will be respected." Read more.
European Parliament President Martin SCHULZ (S&D, DE) has called Donald Trump's victory a "difficult moment" for US- EU relations. However, addressing the shock result at a press conference, SCHULZ said he hoped that transatlantic cooperation on common interests and responsibilities would continue under the 45th president-elect. Read more.
EU Council President Donald TUSK congratulated TRUMP saying, "While respecting the democratic choice of the American people, we are at the same aware of the new challenges that the results bring." Read more.
While many MEPs called the elections outcome as a "wake-up call" for Europe, Nigel FARAGE said: the world should "prepare for further political shocks in the years to come" as he insisted Donald TRUMP's election victory will bring America and Britain closer together. Read more.
French MEP and Head of the far-right anti-immigration National Front (FN) party Marine LE PEN (ENF), praised TRUMP’s win, saying, "Congratulations to the new President of the United States Donald TRUMP and to the free American people". Read more.
