Today's Movers & Shakers are about: the outgoing and incoming MEPs, latest appointments in the Commission and assignment of responsibilities to the Task Force Article 50, new appointments in public affairs, the reshuffled French government, the political developments in Romania, the Brexit negotiations, the offer of the British prime minister to the EU citizens living in the UK and more.
Brexit key players wall chart:
The official Brexit negotiations started on Monday 19 June. Our team have prepared a wall chart with the key players from both sides.
Download our wall chart to get a complete breakdown of the UK and EU teams, including the names and titles of 24-person Article 50 Task Force.
European Parliament:
Outgoing:
Ian DUNCAN (ECR, UK) is leaving his seat in Brussels to become a peer and minister in Scotland. Mr. DUNCAN lost in the UK snap elections just by 21 votes and his appointment sparked Scottish National Party’s (SNP) anger. He has been replaced by his fellow MEP Julie GIRLING as rapporteur on cost-effective emission reductions and low carbon investments (EU ETS).
Following the French legislative elections, the following MEPs were elected and are set to take on their seats in the French assembly on 27 June: Marine LE PEN (ENF), Jean-Luc MÉLENCHON (GUE/NGL), Constance LE GRIP (EPP) and Louis ALIOT (ENF).
Committees and delegations:
Chairs:
Anneleen VAN BOOSSUYT (ECR, BE) was elected as Chair of the committee on the internal market and consumer protection (IMCO), replacing Vicky FORD (ECR) after she was elected as an MP in the British House of Commons.
Members:
Carlos ITURGÁIZ (EPP, ES) joined the delegation to the ACP-EU joint parliamentary assembly (D-ACP), replacing Esther HERRANZ GARCÍA.
Renato SORU (S&D, IT) switched from substitute to member of the committee on economic and monetary affairs (ECON).
Clare MOODY (S&D, UK) joined the committee on foreign affairs (AFET) and the subcommittee on security and defence (SEDE).
David MARTIN (S&D, UK) joined the delegation to the EU-Montenegro stabilisation and association parliamentary committee (D-ME).
Want to know more? Click here for information on our Dods People EU service.
Substitutes:
Gabriel MATO (EPP, ES) also left the delegation to the ACP-EU joint parliamentary assembly (D-ACP).
Pilar del CASTILLO VERA (EPP, ES) left the delegation for relations with India (D-IN) and joined the delegation for relations with the countries of Southeast Asia and the association of Southeast Asian nations (ASEAN) (D-ASE).
Rosa ESTARÀS FERRAGUT (EPP, ES) left the delegation for relations with the countries of the Andean community (D-AND).
Santiago FISAS AYXELÀ (EPP, ES) 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 India (D-IN.)
Petra KAMMEREVERT (S&D, DE) joined the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI), replacing Knut FLECKENSTEIN (S&D, DE).
Siôn SIMON (S&D, UK) left the economic and monetary affairs (ECON) and joined the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE).
Luigi MORGANO (S&D, IT) switched from member to substitute of the committee on economic and monetary affairs (ECON) and left the committee on civil liberties, justice and home affairs (LIBE).
Jakop DALUNDE (Greens/EFA, SE) joined the delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries (D-MAS).
Committees’ news:
The foreign affairs committee (AFET) has recommended the suspension of Turkey’s accession talks if the constitutional reforms go ahead unchanged. The committee also backed the first ever EU-Cuba cooperation agreement, after the MEPs voted by 57 votes to nine, with two abstentions the report of Elena VALENCIANO (S&D, ES), which will be put to vote in the July plenary session.
European Commission:
Commissioners:
Commissioner-Designate:
Mariya GABRIEL (EPP, BU) faced questions from MEP colleagues to assess her suitability to become commissioner. She said that her main priority would be to implement existing initiatives mindful of the fact that she was coming to the role with only two years left on the mandate. MEP will vote on her appointment in the July plenary session.
Cabinet of Commissioner Julian KING:
Julie RUFF joined the cabinet as the member responsible for cyber crime and criminal justice.
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Directorates General:
Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (EMPL):
Directorate E – Skills: Alison CRABB joined as Head of Unit 'Skills and qualifications' replacing deputy head Sonia PERESSINI who was acting in the role.
Energy (ENRG):
Directorate D – Nuclear Energy, Safety and ITER: Hans RHEIN became Head of Unit 'EURATOM co-ordination, legal matters and international relations' replacing Michael KUSKE who was acting in the role.
Health and Food Safety (SANTE):
Directorate B – Health systems, medical products and innovation: Anna-Eva AMPELAS became Head of Unit 'Medical products: quality, safety, innovation' replacing Dominik SCHNICHELS who was appointed as a Director in OLAF as of 16 June. Ms AMPELAS was previously head of 'Health in all policies, global health, tobacco control', which is now vacant.
Informatics (DIGIT):
Directorate A – Strategy and Resources: Anne-Catherine SIMEON became Head of Unit 'Strategic Planning and Monitoring' having acted in the role.
Justice and Consumers (JUST):
Directorate B – Criminal Justice: Isabelle PERIGNON became Head of Unit 'Procedural criminal law' replacing deputy head Tania SCHROETER who was acting in the role. Ms PERIGNON was a member of Commissioner JOUROVA's cabinet. Cristian NICOLAU became Head of Unit 'Judicial training and e-justice' replacing Marc JORNA. Mr NICOLAU was head of IT and document management in the shared service directorate.
Spokesperson's Service (SPP):
Competition: Maria SARANTOPOULOU became Press Officer replacing Maria TSONI.
Task Force Art.50 (TF50):
Deputy negotiator Sabine WEYAND was assigned to the task of negotiating the future relationship between Ireland and Northern Ireland in respect to their shared border. The 'Terms of Reference for the Article 50 TEU negotiations' published by the Commission on 19 June it states that negotiations have been launched with regard to this issue under the authority of the 'Coordinators’. Ms WEYAND's coordinator counterpart in the UK is senior civil servant Olly ROBBINS.
Permanent Representations:
France: Fabrice DUBREUIL was appointed as the new deputy permanent representative, replacing Alexis DUTERTRE, who was appointed as Europe Adviser to Prime Minister Édouard PHILIPPE.
Committee of the Regions (CoR):
Incoming members:
Spain: Fernando LÓPEZ MIRAS was appointed as a member on 20 June for the remainder of the current term of office, which ends on 25 January 2020. He replaced Pedro Antonio SÁNCHEZ LÓPEZ who's term came to an end.
The following members were appointed as rapporteurs:
PES Group:
Robert SORIN NEGOITA (RO) on the opinion on the future of the COSME programme beyond 2020: regional and local perspective.
Christophe ROUILLON (FR) on the opinion on the Reflection paper on the deepening of the economic and monetary union.
Micaela FANELLI (IT) on the opening on Strengthening territorial resiliance: empowering regions and cities to face globalisation.
EPP Group:
Heinz Lehmann (DE) on a European strategy for industry: the role and perspective of regional and local authorities.
Public affairs:
Got any new appointment you would like us to include in our next newsletter? Contact Ifigenia Balkoura!
Acumen Public Affairs: Felicia VAZ joined the team as an Account Manager with a focus on healthcare sector. She joins from Burson-Marsteller Brussels, where she provided strategic advice on global policy issues, public awareness campaigns through media and communications and the organisation’s interactions with the EU institutions.
EURELECTRIC: Francesco STARACE, CEO of the Enel Group was appointed as the new President, succeeding Antonio MEXIA. Alistair PHILLIPS-DAVIES, Chief Executive of SSE, and Magnus HALL, President and CEO of Vattenfall were elected as Vice-Presidents.
European Snacks Association (ESA): Valentina MAGLIO, Director for Legal Affairs and Institutional Relations of Unichips was elected as the new president for a two-year term, replacing Mathias ADANK, Managing Director of Lorenz Snack-World Germany.
FuelsEurope: Bela KELEMEN, Vice President of MOL Group Center of Business Excellence was elected as the new President, taking over from Michel BÉNÉZIT. The members of the association also elected Colin Crooks, Vice-President Downstream Strategy at SHELL as Vice-President for a two-year mandate.
Hyundai: Jan BURDINSKI was appointed as executive director and head of Brussels office as of 1 June, joining from Opel, part of General Motors Group. In his new role, Mr BURDINSKI will be focusing on emissions, the future of mobility services and its regulatory implementation.
News in a nutshell:
EU agencies: The EU leaders decided to vote in November on the relocation of the two EU agencies that are currently based in the UK, namely the European Medicines Agency and the European Banking Authority.
Paris agreement: The European Council reaffirmed the EU’s and its member states’ commitment to the full implementation of the agreement on climate change.
Brexit: The official negotiations between the EU and the UK started on Monday 19 June. Get to know the key figures on both sides’ negotiating teams. Addressing a news conference at the European Commission after a full day of talks, Michel BARNIER told reporters: “The consequences of this are going to be very substantial and we should not under estimate this. The aim of these negotiations should be to minimise the negative impact of Brexit”. Read more. Team BARNIER and Team DAVIS are due to convene for one week each month and the EU side won an early concession when it was agreed that three issues - citizens' rights, the UK's divorce bill for quitting the EU, and the Northern Irish border issue - must be resolved before discussions move on to other matters, notably trade and the future EU/UK relationship.
The Queen’s speech, setting the government’s legislative programme took place on Wednesday 21 June and included 27 new bills for the two-year Parliament, eight out of which regard Brexit (Great Repeal Bill, customs union, trade, immigration, fisheries, agriculture, nuclear safeguards and international sanctions). Download the Dods Monitoring briefing on the Queen’s speech overview and reactions. It should be noted that no official deal has been reached yet between the ruling Conservative party and DUP. Read more.
Prime Minister Theresa MAY unveiled her plan to give the three million EU citizens the right to stay in the UK after Brexit. Those who have been living in the UK for at least five years will be offered “settled status”, while those who have been in the UK for less than five years before the cut-off date will be given the chance to stay until they are eligible for settled status. However, Mrs MAY did not indicate a cut-off date. She rejected the idea of the European Court of Justice’s involvement and said that “the highly-respected UK courts” will be in charge to enforce the law. Read more.
Czech Republic: Stanislav ŠTECH was appointed as the new education, youth and sport minister, following the resignation of Katerina VALACHOVA over allegations of fraud of sports subsidies.
Finland: The government survived a vote of confidence. The new coalition government is now comprised of Prime Minister Juha SIPILÄ’s Centre Party, finance minister Petteri ORPO’s National Coalition Party and the Blue Reform (initially New Alternative). The latter was split from the Finns party after MEP Jussi HALLA-AHO was elected as its leader. Touko AALTO was elected as the new leader of the Green Party.
France: President Emmanuel MACRON’s party won most of the seats in the legislative elections held on 18 June and a reshuffled cabinet was announced on 21 June. Nathalie LOISEAU took over from Marielle de SARNEZ who resigned earlier this week as minister for European affairs. Jean Baptiste LEMOYNE was appointed minister of state for European and foreign affairs. Jean-Yves LE DRIAN was re-appointed as minister for foreign affairs and Europe and Bruno LE MAIRE as economy minister, while he was also assigned the finance portfolio. Prior to the reshuffle, former MEP Sylvie GOULARD and François BAYROU resigned as defence and justice ministers respectively amid allegations of misuse of funds.
Ireland: Helen McEntee was appointed as the new minister of state for European affairs, succeeding Dara MURPHY, while the EU digital single market portfolio that the latter was in charge of went to Pat BREEN, who was appointed as minister of state of enterprise and innovation.
Romania: A no confidence vote against prime minister Sorin GRINDEANU tabled by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats Party was passed on 21 June. The motion is the first one in its kind in Romanian politics. President Klaus IOHANNIS is expected to nominate a new prime minister this week, following consultations with the political parties on Monday 26 June.
