Today's Movers & Shakers are about: MEP news, latest appointments in the public affairs, the External Action Service and the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union, Brexit and more.
European Parliament:
Composition of the political groups:
Sophie MONTEL (FR) defected from the EFDD group and is now sitting as an independent MEP.
Composition of the committees and delegations:
Innocenzo LEONTINI (EPP, IT) joined the committee on transport and tourism (TRAN), the delegation for relations with Mercosur (D-MER), the delegation to the ACP-EU joint parliamentary assembly (D-ACP) and the delegation to the Euro-Latin American parliamentary assembly (D-LAT) as member. He also joined the committee on civil liberties, justice and home affairs (LIBE), the delegation for relations with the Maghreb countries and the Arab Maghreb Union (D-MAG) and the delegation to the parliamentary assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean(D-MED) as substitute.
MEP news:
Launch of the Dying to work EU campaign’s website: The Dying to Work EU campaign - which was launched in the European Parliament earlier this year - seeks to secure stronger workplace protections and rights for people diagnosed with a terminal illness. The campaign has the support from MEPs representing a number of Member States and political groups, underlining that this cause reaches into every country. The campaign is led by the UK Labour's deputy Rory PALMER (S&D). The 2019 European elections will represent a key focal point for the campaign in the coming months and the new website will act as a key hub ahead of the elections and for the campaign's developments. For more information visit the brand new website.
Parliament Magazine's events:
Reorienting capital flows to low-carbon and sustainable activities: Europe as a leader in the fight against climate change and chosen destination for sustainable investments
Kindly hosted by Anne Sander MEP and Lieve Wierinck MEP
EDF and the Parliament Magazine will be holding a parliamentary lunch discussion, focused on sustainable finance as a support to EU actions for climate and sustainable development.
This exchange will focus on the crucial need of an EU framework to reorient capital flows towards a more sustainable economy and to take appropriate measures to tackle climate risk.
According to a recent study from the EIB, Europe must close a yearly overall investment gap of EUR 270 billion. Those investments are urgently needed to deliver on climate, environmental and social sustainability goals and notably the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Finance should work as a catalyst for long-term innovation and enable for immediate deployment of the best available solutions for decarbonising the economy.
The objective is to explore the best ways for Europe to improve the contribution of finance to sustainable and long-term growth and to strengthen financial stability by incorporating environmental, social and governance factors into investment decision. Urgent action is needed to adapt the European framework to tackle sustainability and the transition to a low-carbon economy.
The speakers include:
- Anne SANDER MEP (EPP, FR)
- Lieve WIERINCK MEP (ALDE, BE)
- Mr Sven FENTNER, Head of Asset Management Unit in DG FISMA, European Commission
- Mme Claude NAHON, Executive Vice-President for Sustainable Development, EDF Group
To register your interest, please contact: EUevents@dodsgroup.com | 0044 207 593 5560 | 0044 207 593 5672
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European elections:
Spitzenkandidat: Energy union Commissioner Maroš ŠEFČOVIČ made the headlines last week, when he announced that he is running to become the Socialist candidate for the European Commission presidency. ŠEFČOVIČ said that nine socialist parties have already backed his candidacy.
Former Austrian chancellor Christian KERN also announced that he is running to become the Socialist candidate and he is stepping down as leader of the Social Democrats.
Council of the European Union:
General Secretariat:
Legal Service (JUR): Current head of legislative acts/planning Manuela GUGGEIS was also appointed as acting director of quality of legislation.
Foreign Affairs, Enlargement and Civil Protection (RELEX):
Zoltan MARTINUSZ started his new role as director of the enlargement, security, civil protection, foreign affairs Council support directorate.
Communication and Information (COMM):
Media and Communication Directorate: Macej BURY was appointed as head of digital communication.
Digital Services (SMART):
Digital Platforms directorate: Jan STUER, current head of infrastructure and operations (RUN), was also appointed as acting director.
Digital Solutions directorate: Ramon CHISMOL IBANEZ started his new role as director.
European External Action Service (EEAS):
Budget and administration (DF-BA): Kristin DE PEYRON was appointed as head of HR policy (human resources directorate), replacing Artur KLOPOTOWSKI.
Francesco CALEPRICO started his new role as head of rights, obligations and medical cell, replacing Alison WESTON.
Human rights, global and multilateral issues (MD-GLOBAL): Ellis MATHEWS was appointed as head of multilateral relations, replacing Jonas JONSSON, who started his new role as head of Pan-African affairs in Africa (MD-AFRICA).
Luisa RAGHER started her new role as head of human rights, replacing Mercedes GARCIA PEREZ
Africa (MD-AFRICA): Gerardus GIELEN was appointed as head of Central Africa, replacing Patrick SPIRLET.
Asia and Pacific (MD-ASIAPAC): Jonathan HATWELL was appointed as head of China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Mongolia, replacing Ellis MATHEWS.
EU intelligence and situation centre (INTCEN): Victor MADEIRA DOS SANTOS was appointed as head of consular crisis management, replacing Nicola DELCROIX.
Middle East Peace Process: Susanna TERSTAL was appointed as EU Special Representative until 29 February 2020.
European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO):
Christian L.L.G. ARCHAMBEAU was appointed as Executive Director for a term of five years.
Public affairs:
Got any new appointment you would like us to include in our next newsletter? Contact Ifigenia Balkoura!
Re-branding: European LPG Association – until now known as AEGPL – has renamed itself as Liquid Gas Europe. The change of name, logo and visual identity was announced in Brussels at a cocktail party that gathered its members and several representatives of the industry. The Association is also celebrating its 50th Anniversary, having been created in 1968.
British American Tobacco p.l.c. (BAT): CEO Nicandro DURANTE announced his retirement as of 1 April 2019, after eight years in the role.
Consumers International: Amanda LONG will step down as Director-General at the end of year.
PlasticsEurope: Camelia VASILE joined the public affairs department as a communications and media manager as of 27 August. Prior to her appointment, she was working as a project manager with EU40 – the network of young MEPs.
Styrenics Circular Solutions (SCS): The joint industry initiative to drive the shift to a more circular economy for styrenics, announced its intent to form as a standalone legal entity. Jens KATHMANN was appointed Secretary General to lead the value chain’s efforts in creating innovative recycling solutions for styrenic polymers, as of 1 October 2018. SCS which is currently hosted by PlasticsEurope, will act as a platform to facilitate recycling projects across the styrenics value chain and will operate in close collaboration with PlasticsEurope and key partners across the waste management stream.
News in a nutshell:
Brexit: The informal EU leaders’ summit in Austria ended with cold water being poured on UK Prime Minister Theresa MAY’s proposed new economic partnership with the EU. European Council President Donald TUSK said during the Salzburg summit that MAY’s proposal “will not work.” In his remarks following the summit, President TUSK highlighted that there will be no Withdrawal Agreement without a solid, operational and legally binding Irish backstop, while he also said that the EU27 agreed to have a joint political declaration that provides as much clarity as possible on the future relations. During the summit, the EU27 discussed the timetable for further negotiations, with October’s European Council being decisive on the talks’ progress. Reacting to TUSK’s statement, UK Brexit Secretary Dominic RAAB branded him “unstatesmanlike”.
Earlier this week, TUSK tweeted that “today there is perhaps more hope but there is surely less and less time. On the Irish question and the framework for economic cooperation, the UK’s proposal needs to be reworked”. Following the summit, Maltese Prime Minister Joseph MUSCAT said that EU leaders were near-united in wanting Mrs MAY to hold a new public vote.
Responding to the rejection of her Chequers plan, Theresa MAY said, “I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same. At this late stage in the negotiations, it is not acceptable to simply reject the other side’s proposals without a detailed explanation and counter proposals. So, we now need to hear from the EU what the real issues are and what their alternative is so that we can discuss them. Until we do, we cannot make progress. In the meantime, we must and will continue the work of preparing ourselves for no deal”. (Full speech here.)
However, she reassured the three million EU citizens living in the UK that even in the event of no deal, their rights are protected. She also repeated that she will not overturn the result of the referendum, adding that she will not break up her country.
