Today’s Movers & Shakers are about: A new committee Vice-chair has been appointed in the European Parliament, a Commissioner takes a leave of absence to run for their country's Presidency, two Ministers in Portugal step down to run in the European Elections, the ECB's next Chief Economist has been confirmed, latest appointments in the European Commission and public affairs, Brexit and more...
European Parliament
Committees
Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO)
Lucy ANDERSON (S&D, UK) is the new Third Vice-chair, replacing her former colleague Catherine STIHLER who left the European Parliament at the end of last month.
National Delegations
Former UK Independence leader Paul NUTTALL (EFDD, UK) has also joined a number of his ex-colleagues in the newly formed Brexit Party.
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European Elections
The Socialist Party (PES) in Portugal have selected two Government Ministers to head their candidate list for the European elections. Planning and Infrastructure Minister Pedro MARQUES will be the top candidate while Presidency and Administrative Modernisation Minister Maria Manuel LEITÃO MARQUES is expected to be placed second in the list. Both have left the cabinet to focus on the campaign.
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European Commission
College of Commissioners
Vytenis ANDRIUKAITIS, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, will take unpaid leave from the Commission to run in the Lithuanian Presidential election.
Commissioner Cabinets
Cabinet of Cecilia MALMSTRÖM
Fredrik Beckvid TRANCHELL has become a Member of MALMSTRÖM’s cabinet. His responsibilities include investment policy and technical barriers to trade.
Cabinet of Neven MIMICA
Maud ARNOULD, previously a Member of MIMICA’s cabinet, is now a Cabinet Expert.
Directorates-General
European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO)
There has been a significant reshuffle; with another Directorate being added to the DG and posts being reshuffled. The new Directorates are:
- Directorate A; Emergency Management and rescEU: Johannes LUCHNER
- Directorate B; Disaster Preparedness and Prevention: Johannes LUCHNER (acting),
- Directorate C; Neighbourhood and Middle East: Jean-Louis DE BROUWER,
- Directorate D; Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin America and Pacific: Androulla KAMINARA
- Directorate E; General Affairs: Chiara GARIAZZO
Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW)
Andreas VEISPAK has left the position of Head of Unit I3 (Space Data for Society Challenges and Growth). Kamil KILJANSKI will take over the position from 1 March, with Dinka DINKOVA serving as Acting Head of Unit until that time.
Secretary-General (DG SG)
Raquel CORTES HERRERA is the new Head of Unit G1 (Relations with the European Parliament and Consultative Committees), filling a vacant position.
Tomas ANDREOU has left the position of Acting Head of Unit SRSS.08 (Planning, Evaluation & Coordination of Support), leaving the position vacant.
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Agencies
European Asylum Support Office’s (EASO)
Nina GREGORI has been selected to be the new Executive Director and will face a European Parliament hearing before being formally appointed. Jamil ADDOU will continue as Acting Executive Director until that process is complete.
European Central Bank
The Central Bank of Ireland Governor Philip LANE (IE) has been confirmed as the new ECB Chief Economist, replacing Peter PRAET (BE). LANE’s eight-year term will begin on 1 June 2019.
Committee of the Regions
Alfred BOSCH i PASCUAL (EA, ES) joins as a member, replacing Ernest MARAGALL i MIRA.
European Economic and Social Committee
Dorthe ANDERSEN and Bente SORGENFREY (DK) have joined the Workers’ Group as members, replacing Bernt FALLENKAMP and Arne GREVSEN.
Public Affairs
Agri-Food Chain Coalition (AFCC)
Jacob HANSEN has been appointed as the new Chair, replacing Jean-Philippe AZOULAY.
Southern Hemisphere Association of Fresh Fruit Exporters (SHAFFE)
Dr Konanani LIPHADZI has been elected as the new President of the association, replacing Alan POLLARD.
International News Safety Institute (INSI)
Elena COSENTINO was appointed as the new Director.
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National News
Brexit
A group of seven MPs resigned from the Labour Party on Monday and announced their intention to form The Independent Group (TIG) in Parliament, citing the Labour Party’s attitude towards Brexit and the anti-Semitism scandal. They are Chuka UMUNNA, Mike GAPES, Luciana BERGER, Ann COFFEY, Chris LESLIE, Gavin SHUKER and Angela SMITH.
On Tuesday evening another Labour MP Joan RYAN announced that she would also defect. Then on Wednesday the group’s numbers swelled to eleven as Heidi ALLEN, Anna SOUBRY and Sarah WOLLASTON defected from the Conservative Party. They cited the increasing radicalisation of the Conservative Party and government policy on Brexit as their reasons.
Prime Minister Theresa MAY has delayed a vote on the Withdrawal Agreement, that had been expected to take place this week, until 12 March.
Lithuania
European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis ANDRIUKAITIS will be the Social Democratic Party (PES) candidate for the Presidential election in May.
Algirdas MONKEVIČIUS is the new Education, Science and Sport Minister, replacing Jurgita PETRAUSKIENĖ who left the role in December. Transport and Communications Minister Rokas MASIULIS had been covering the Department.
The Environment Minister role is still vacant following Kęstutis NAVICKAS's departure, however Rokas MASIULIS has now taken over from Energy Minister Žygimantas VAIČIŪNAS in covering the Department.
Portugal
Following the selection of Planning and Infrastructure Minister Pedro MARQUES to lead the Socialist Party’s (PES) European Parliament list the Department has been split into two. Pedro Nuno SANTOS is the new Infrastructure and Housing Minister and Nelson DE SOUZA is the new Planning Minister.
Mariana VIEIRA DA SILVA is the new Presidency and Administrative Modernisation Minister, replacing Maria Manuel LEITÃO MARQUES who will also be standing in the European Parliament election.
Romania
Daniel SUCIU is the new Deputy Prime Minister and Regional Development and Public Administration Minister, replacing Paul STĂNESCU who left the role in November. Public Finance Minister Eugen TEODOROVICI had been covering the role.
Răzvan CUC is the new Transport Minister, replacing Lucian ŞOVA who left the role in November. European Union Funds Minister Rovana PLUMB had been covering the role.
