Today’s Movers & Shakers are about: Commissioners’ cabinet changes, DG Budget mini reshuffle, EEAS new Heads of Delegations, EU Presidency, Brexit and more.
European Parliament:
Vice-Chairs of the Committees, Subcommittees and the Delegations:
Xabier BENITO ZILUAGA (GUE/NGL, ES) was elected as Vice-Chair of the Delegation for relations with Mercosur (D-MER).
Substitutes of the Committees, Subcommittees and the Delegations:
Knut FLECKENSTEIN (S&D, DE) joined the Delegation to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (D-LAT).
National parties:
Andrej PLENKOVIC (EPP, HR) was elected as President of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). See more bellow.
Alyn SMITH (Greens/EFA, UK) launched his bid for the deputy leadership of the Scottish National Party (SNP) to replace Stewart HOSIE, who will officially step down from the role in the conference of the party that will take place on 13-15 October 2016.
European Commission:
Cabinets:
As a result of the resignation of Commissioner Jonathan HILL effective 15 July his cabinet was dissolved and the following staff changes took place:
Mette TOFTDAL-GROLLEMAN and Lee FOULGER joined the cabinet of Valdis DOMBROVSKIS as members.
Chantal Hughes, Nathalie de BASALDUA and Denzil DAVIDSON moved to the cabinet of Kristalina GEORGIEVA, pending new assignments.
Sebastian KUCK moved to the cabinet of Jyrki KATAINEN, replacing Marika LAUTSO-MOUSNIER temporarily.
The portfolio of Lord Jonathan HILL is now under the responsibility of Vice-President Valdis DOMBROVSKI. Further changes to follow.
Directorates General:
Budget (BUDG):
There was a mini reshuffle of staff in DG BUDG with three Heads of Unit swapping roles:
Directorate C – Budget Execution: José Antonio LOPEZ SANCHEZ became Head of Unit, ‘Budgetary structure and validation of local systems’, replacing Raluca BLANARU.
Directorate D – Central Financial Service: Catherine HELDMAIER-REGNIER became Head of Unit, ‘Financial procedures and control systems’, replacing José Antonio LOPEZ SANCHEZ.
Directorate R – Resources: Raluca BLANARU became Head of Unit, ‘General coordination; human and budgetary resources’, replacing Catherine HELDMAIER-REGNIER.
Communication (COMM):
Directorate D - Resources: On 20 July Fabrizia de ROSA was appointed as Director as of 1 September 2016. She is currently Head of Unit, "Budget, Accounting and Logistic", and acting Director, "Resources", in DG COMM.
Communications Networks, Content and Technology (CNECT):
Directorate G – Data: Marco MARSELLA became Head of Unit, ‘Learning, Multilingualism and Accessibility, following a period as acting Head of Unit.
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Economics and Financial Affairs (ECFIN):
Directorate B – Investment, growth and structural reforms: Mary Veronica TOVSAK PLETERSKI became Director, replacing Antonio DE LECEA who was acting in the role and is Principle Adviser to the Director General. Ms TOVSAK PLETERSKI’s previous role was Director, ‘European and International Carbon Markets’, in DG Climate Action (CLIMA).
Directorate L – Treasury and financial operations: Merete CLAUSEN became Head of Unit, ‘Financing of innovation, competitiveness and employment policies’, replacing Frank KOHLENBERGER who was acting in the role.
Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (GROW):
Strategic Planning and Delivery unit – Olivier GIRARD became Head of Unit, replacing Ingio URRESTI who was acting in the role and maintains his position as deputy head. Previously, Mr GIRARD was an Assistant to the Director General.
Mobility and Transport (MOVE):
Matthew BALDWIN began his role as Deputy Director-General. Mr BALDWIN was Head of Cabinet of former Commissioner Jonathan HILL. He will be responsible for the coordination of Directorates C, D and E.
Secretariat-General (SG):
Structural Reform Support Service: Geraldine MAHIEU became Head of Unit, ‘Labour Market, Health and Social Services’, following a period of acting in the role.
European External Action Service (EEAS):
On 20 July High Representative Federica MOGHERINI announced the appointment of 17 new Heads of EU Delegations. This follows the framework of the regular rotation for this year.
African Union: Ranieri SABATUCCI, currently Head of Division for relations with South East Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) within the EEAS has been appointed as Head, replacing Gary QUINCE.
Algeria: John O'ROURKE, currently Head of Division for GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries, Iraq and Yemen has been appointed as Head, replacing Marek SKOLIL.
Bolivia: Leon DE LA TORRE KRAIS, currently Deputy Head of Mission of the Spanish Embassy to Belgium, has been appointed as Head replacing Tim TORLOT.
Chile: Styliani ZERVOUDAKI, currently Head of the EU Delegation to Guatemala has been appointed as Head, replacing Rafael DOCHAO MORENO.
Djibouti: Adam KULACH, currently Head of the EU Delegation to Saudi Arabia has been appointed as Head, replacing Joseph SILVA.
Ecuador: Marianne VAN STEEN, currently Deputy Head of Division for Human Resources Policy and Coordination within the EEAS has been appointed as Head, replacing Ana Paula ZACARIAS.
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: Samuel ŽBOGAR, currently Head of the EU Office in Kosovo/European Union Special Representative in Kosovo has been appointed as Head, replacing Aivo ORAV.
Hong Kong and Macao: Carmen CANO DE LASALA, currently serving as Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to China and Mongolia has been appointed as Head of the EU Office, replacing Vincent PIKET.
Kosovo: Natalya APOSTOLOVA, currently Head of the EU Delegation to Libya has been appointed as Head of the EU Office, replacing Samuel ŽBOGAR.
Montenegro: Aivo ORAV, currently Head of the EU Delegation to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has been appointed as Head, replacing Mitja DROBNIČ.
New Zealand: Bernard SAVAGE, currently Head of Division for Maghreb within the EEAS has been appointed as Head, replacing Sem FABRIZI.
Switzerland and Liechtenstein: Michael MATTHIESSEN, currently Principal Adviser to the Managing Director for Asia-Pacific within the EEAS has been appointed as Head replacing Richard JONES.
Tunisia: Patrice BERGAMINI, currently Head of Division for Regional Policies for the Southern Mediterranean within the EEAS has been appointed as Head, replacing Laura BAEZA.
Ukraine: Hugues MINGARELLI, currently Senior Adviser on Global Strategy and European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) Review Implementation within the EEAS has been appointed as Head, replacing Jan TOMBIŃSKI.
Holy See, UN Organisations in Rome and the Republic of San Marino: Jan TOMBIŃSKI, is currently Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine has been appointed as Head, replacing Laurence ARGIMON-PISTRE.
Uzbekistan: Eduards STIPRAIS, currently Under-Secretary of State/Political Director at the Latvian Foreign Ministry has been appointed as Head, replacing Yuri STERK.
Yemen: Antonia CALVO PUERTA, currently Deputy Head of Division for Regional Policies for the Southern Mediterranean within the EEAS has been appointed as Head, replacing Bettina MUSCHEIDT.
European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo:
On 20 July the Political and Security Committee have appointed Alexandra PAPADOPOULOU as Head of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo. She will begin her new role on 1 September 2016, replacing Gabriele MEUCCI. Ms PAPADOPOULOU, who is former Permanent Representative to the EU will join EULEX Kosovo from her position as Ambassador of Greece to Uruguay and Paraguay, which she has been in since December 2015.
European Investment Bank (EIB):
Board of Directors:
France: Rémy RIOUX was appointed as an Alternate, following approval by the Board of Governors on 13 July. His term at the EIB will expire in 2018.
Romania: Attila GYÖRGY was appointed as a Full Member, following approval by the Board of Governors on 11 July. Mr GYÖRGY is Secretary of State for Public Finance and he was nominated by Romania following the resignation of Enache JIRU. His term at the EIB will expire in 2018.
Public affairs:
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Schuman Associates: Malgorzata STEPNIAK, currently Senior Consultant in Brussels will move to Warsaw to head the new Schuman Associates Warsaw Office, opening in September 2016.
News in a nutshell:
Croatia: President Kolinda GRABAR KITAROVIC announced that the snap parliamentary elections will be held on 11 September.
Ireland: Prime Minister Enda KENNY said that a clause in the Good Friday Agreement could trigger an Irish reunification poll in the wake of the UK’s vote to leave the bloc and warned the EU to prepare for such a prospect.
United Kingdom: Prime Minister Theresa MAY officially announced that the UK relinquishes its six-month EU Presidency of the Council in the second half of 2017 and said that the Article 50 will not be triggered until next year. All presidencies will now move forward by six months, meaning that Estonia will take over UK’s turn.
New Prime Minister travelled to Berlin and to Paris to hold talks with the German Chancellor Angela MERKEL and President Francois HOLLANDE to establish personal contacts while testing the mood around the negotiating process of extricating the UK from the EU. Read more.
The UK Permanent Representation was detached from the Foreign and Commonwealth office. It will now report to the new Department for Exiting the EU and will support the new Secretary of State David DAVIES in engaging and negotiating with the Ministers of the other 27 member states.
Candidate states:
Turkey: Some 60000 police, soldiers, teachers and judges have been detained or suspended, while President Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN has declared a state of emergency for three months. Read more. The EU has urged the Turkish government not to seize the opportunity to breach the rule of law. Read more. EU also raised concerns over possible re-introduction of the death penalty in Turkey and warned ERDOĞAN that such a movement will bring an end to Turkish EU accession talks. Read more.
