European Parliament:
Outgoing:
Elisa FERREIRA (S&D, PT) has left her seat in the parliament to take on her new role as Director of the Bank of Portugal. Manuel DOS SANTOS is in line to replace her.
Members of the of the Committees, Subcommittees and Delegations:
Pedro SIPLVA PEREIRA (S&D, PT) joined the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON).
Kostas CHRYSOGONOS (GUE/NGL, EL) joined the Delegation to the EU-former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee (D-MK).
Special Committees:
The members of the new Committee of Inquiry on Panama Papers were named. The Committee will appoint its Chair and its Vice-Chairs at its first meeting.
Rapporteurs:
Róża Gräfin von THUN UND HOHENSTEIN (EPP, PL) was appointed rapporteur on "Geo-blocking and other forms of discrimination based on customers' nationality, place of residence or place of establishment within the internal market".
European Commission:
Cabinets:
Günther OETTINGER team: Thibaut KLEINER joined as Deputy Head of Cabinet. The position was previously vacant.
Directorates General
Education and Culture (EAC):
Directorate D – Culture and Creativity: Theo DUIVENVOORDE became Head of Unit, Library and e-resources centre, replacing Iwona MICHALKIEWICZ who was acting in the role. Mr DUIVENVOORDE joins the EAC from the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) where he was Head of Unit, Resources and Administrative Support.
Joint Research Centre (JCR):
New Knowledge Centre: On 20 June 2016, the Commission launched the Knowledge Centre for Migration and Demography. The Centre will bring together existing knowledge from across the Commission’s Directorates General and will pursue new, collaborative research on migration flows and trends. The JCR will take care of its daily running. The first partnership of the knowledge centre is with the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) and was inaugurated during the launch event, which was attended by, amongst others, Vice-President Kristalina GEORGIEVA and Commissioner Tibor NAVRACSICS.
Regional and Urban Policy (REGIO):
Marc LEMAÎTRE has been appointed as Director-General and will take up his new position on 1 September 2016. He will replace Walter DEFFAA, who will retire. Mr LEMAÎTRE has 20 years of experience in European affairs. He joined the Commission in 2007 and since 2013 he has been the Director of the Office for the Administration and Payment of Individual Entitlements (PMO).
Spokesperson’s Service (SPP):
Climate Action and Energy: Jakub ADAMOWICZ has become Spokesperson for ‘Specific Energy Union Projects’. Previously, Mr ADAMOWICZ was spokesperson for Transport and Regional Policy. He retains his position as spokesperson for Regional Policy whilst the position for Transport has been filled by Anna-Kasia ITKONEN, who is also spokesperson for ‘Climate Action and Energy’.International Cooperation and Development: Sharon ZARB has left her position as Press Officer. The role is currently vacant.
Committee of the Regions (CoR):
Rapporteurs:
The following members were appointed rapporteurs:
Commission for Economic policy (ECON):
Benedetta BRIGHENTIL (PES, IT) on "A European agenda for the collaborative economy and on on-line platforms".
Karl Fredrik GRAF (EPP, SE) on "an Own-initiative opinion on a fiscal capacity and automatic stabilisers".
Commission for Social Policy, Education, Employment and Culture (SEDEC):
Marie-Louise RÖNNMARK (PES/SE) on "New skills agenda for Europe".
Jacint HORVATH (PES, HU) on "Proposal for a directive on review of the audiovisual and media services Directive".
Apostolos TZITZIKOSTAS (EPP, EL) on "EU strategy for international cultural relations"
Missions to the EU:
Serbia: Ambassador to the EU Duško LOPANDIĆ was sacked from his position following a fall-out over an exhibition in the European Parliament honouring a controversial figure in Yugoslavia’s history. The exhibition, sponsored by Croatian MEP Marijana PETIR (EPP), was opened on 14 June. It has been reported that Ana HRUSTANOVIĆ, the Ambassador to Italy, will replace Mr LOPANDIĆ.
European Court of Auditors (ECA):
Lithuania: Rimantas ŠADŽIUS was appointed as the Lithuanian Member for a six-year period from 16 June 2016 to 15 June 2022. Mr ŠADŽIUS was Lithuania’s Minister of Finance. See bellow.
European Agencies:
NEW: The EU institutions have agreed on proposals for a European Border and Coast Guard, as of 22 June 2016. The establishment of the European Border and Coast Guard was first announced by President Juncker in his State of the Union Speech on 9 September 2015, as part of the European Agenda on Migration. The new organisation will combine the existing European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) and national border authorities. Its aim will be to implement a coordinated strategy to manage external borders and migration whilst safeguarding EU-internal free movement. The regulation will be submitted to the European Parliament for a vote at first reading, and to the Council for adoption.
Public affairs:
Got any new appointment you would like us to include in our next newsletter? Contact Ifigenia Balkoura!
British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC): Peter GLENSER was elected as Chairman
Ships' and Maritime Equipment Association (SEA Europe): Mario DOGLIANI was appointed Technical Director.
News in a nutshell:
Croatia: Following the collapse of the government, Parliament voted for its dissolution effective 15 July. Early parliamentary elections will be called most likely in the first half of September. Former Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav KARAMARKO resigned as leader of the Croatian Democratic Union (EPP). EPP MEP Andrej PLENKOVIC expressed readiness to run as candidate for President of the party.
Finland: Newly-elected National Coalition Party leader Petteri ORPO officially took over his new role as Finance Minister. Lenita TOIVVAKA stepped down as Minister for Foreign Trade and Development over a tax avoidance scandal. Kai MYKKÄNEN replaced her. Paula RISSIKO was appointed as the new Interior Minister, replacing ORPO.
Lithuania: Former member of the European Court of Auditors Rasa BUDBERGYTĘ became the new Minister of Finance, replacing Rimanta ŠADŽIUS.
Spain: Spanish voters headed to the polls again on Sunday 26 June, following the inconclusive elections of December 2015 and the coalition talks deadlock. Once again, the result was deadlocked, with the Conservative People's party winning the largest share of the vote but falling short of a majority.
United Kingdom: Britons voted to leave the EU after 43 years by 51.9%, triggering major political developments. David CAMERON announced he is to step down as Prime Minister by October.
