Today's Movers & Shakers are about: the incoming and outgoing MEPs, the new member of Barnier's team, the Estonian presidency, the EU agency for asylum, latest appointments in public affairs, Brexit, the new Romanian government, the political developments in the Netherlands and more.
Brexit key players wall chart:
Did you miss it last week?
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:
Victor NEGRESCU (S&D, RO) left his seat in the European Parliament, after being appointed as Romania’s new minister for European affairs in the new Romanian cabinet. The 32-year-old MEP joined the Parliament in 2004.
Herbert REUL (EPP, DE) is also leaving Brussels to take on his new role as interior minister in North Rhine-Westphalia. Mr REUL has been an MEP since 2004.
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Incoming:
Following the elections in France, the following are expected to join the Parliament:
Christelle LECHEVALLIER, replacing Marine LE PEN (ENF),
Marie-Pierre VIEU replacing Jean-Luc MÉLENCHON (GUE/NGL),
France JAMET, replacing Louis ALIOT (ENF) and
Geoffroy DIDIER, replacing Constance LE GRIP (EPP).
Following the UK elections, Rupert MATTHEWS and John FLACK took up their seats as ECR group MEPs replacing Andrew LEWER and Vicky FORD respectively, who became MPs. Wajid KHAN (S&D) has joined the Parliament, replacing North West MEP Afzal KHAN, who was also elected as MP in the snap elections in early May. John HOWARTH replaced Anneliese DODDS.
Composition of the committees and delegations:
Substitutes:
André ELISSEN (ENF, NL) joined the committee on transport and tourism (TRAN) and the delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China (D-CN).
MEP news:
Maria Joao RODRIGUES (S&D, PT) was elected as president of the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) think tank, replacing Massimo D'ALEMA.
Get to know:
Fulvio MARTUSCIELLO (EPP, IT) in 5 questions.
Plenary session:
MEPs are in Strasbourg from Monday 3 to Thursday 6 June.
European Commission:
Directorates General:
Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union department (FISMA):
Directorate B – Investment and Company Reporting: Nathalie DE BASALUDA LEMARCHAND was formally appointed as Director having previously acted in the role.
Task Force Article 50:
Adolfo BARBERA DEL ROSAL joined the task force on 16 June to work on legal affairs. Mr BARBERA DEL ROSAL was previously Head of Secretariat 'Employment and Social Affairs Committee' at the European Parliament.
Council of the EU:
General Secretariat:
D-G F – Communication and Information: Ramón CHISMOL IBANEZ became Director of the Information and Knowledge Management directorate filling a vacant position. He was previously Head of Unit in the Parliament's 'Development and Support' directorate.
EU Presidency:
Estonia took over the rotating Presidency of the EU Council from Malta on 1 July. According to the country’s Permanent Representative to the EU, the presidency will not become fixated on Brexit. The ambassador outlined those issues which she says will top the Estonian agenda, including security and countering the current terror threat in Europe. Read more.
The government approved the Estonian Presidency programme on Thursday 29 June, the priorities of which will be:
- an open and innovative European economy
- a safe and secure Europe
- a digital Europe and the free movement of data and
- an inclusive and sustainable Europe.
European Agencies:
NEW EU Agency for Asylum:
On 28 June representatives from the Maltese Presidency of the Council and the European Parliament reached a broad agreement regarding the implementation of a new agency. The organisation will support a reformed Common European Asylum System (CEAS) and improve upon the work of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO). The agency hopes to streamline the increasingly complex migration situation across Europe to ensure consistent responses across member states. The incoming Estonian Presidency will continue to work with the Parliament to refine the texts that will then be reviewed by Coreper.
Committee of the Regions (CoR):
Rapporteurs:
The following EPP group members were appointed rapporteurs:
Spyros SPRYRIDON (EL) on “Europe on the Move: labour aspects of the road transport”.
Marek WOŹNIAK (PL) on the opinion of CoR on the future of EU finances until 2025.
Ivan ŽAGAR (SI) on 'Europe on the Move: promoting seamless mobility solutions'
Public affairs:
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Cefic: Nathalie GROSS, former account director at Weber Shandwick and Maria LINKOVA-NIJS, consultant at Hill+Knowlton will join as of July, as communications managers, while Dervla GLEESON will leave her role as media relations manager
EDSO for Smart Grids: Christian BUCHEL, EDSO’s Vice-Chairperson and Chair of the policy committee, was elected as the new Chairperson of the association. Mr BUCHEL takes over the chairmanship from João TORRES, who is stepping down from his position to take on new challenges within his current activities at EDP Distribuição of Portugal.
ENTSO-E: Hervé LAFFAYE was appointed as Vice-President as of 28 June. The Board also elected Fintan SLYE, Chief Executive of TSO, EirGrid as Vice-Chair.
European Federation of Waste Management and Environmental Services (FEAD): Jean-Marc BOURSIER was named as the new President taking over from David Palmer-Jones.
FORATOM: Yves DESBAZEILLE will succeed Jean-Pol PONCELET, who will step down on 1 August as Director General.
International family of Catholic social justice organisations (CIDSE): Josianne Gauthier was appointed as the new Secretary General as of September, replacing Bernd NILLES.
Siemens: Dr. Benedikt KUTTENKEULER was appointed Head of Siemens Government Affairs EU Office in Brussels, effective July 1, 2017. This appointment underpins the importance of the EU Affairs Office for Siemens. Dr. KUTTENKEULER joined Siemens in 1999 as a lawyer. After various responsibilities in legal, compliance, government affairs and commercial functions, he lately headed the Legal & Compliance Global Functions Department. He directly reports to Eva SCHULZ-KAMM, Global Head Government Affairs.
Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG (TAP): Luca SCHIEPPATI was named as the new Managing Director and Walter PEERAER as President, starting on 27th June 2017. Luca Schieppati will replace the current Managing Director Ian Bradshaw.
News in a nutshell:
Brexit: Last week was mainly dominated by two major developments: the deal between the Conservatives and the DUP and the reset in the Scottish independence timetable.
On Monday 26 June, Theresa MAY secured a ‘confidence and supply’ deal with the DUP to prop up her minority government. The £1bn arrangement sparked anger in Wales and Scotland as it was seen as a ‘bung’ to keep Theresa MAY in office, while DUP could end up receiving more than 1bn in public money.
The UK government revealed details of its proposed offer to EU citizens’ rights after Brexit. Under the policy paper, the EU citizens living in the UK lawfully for at least five years would be granted ‘settled status’, while those who arrive in the country before the cut-off date (which has so far not been indicated) will be given the opportunity to stay until they are eligible to be provided with a ‘settled status’. Read more. Mrs MAY also reassured the EU citizens that no families will be split up. She also revealed that she is considering addressing the European Parliament.
European leaders were unimpressed by the UK’s proposal, with EU Council president Donald TUSK saying the offer was below expectations. Campaigners fighting for the legal rights of the EU citizens in the UK had the same reaction.
Meanwhile, the EU officials are reportedly working on drafting proposals regarding the borders between the Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The European Commission published six new position papers on: the ongoing union judicial and administrative procedures, the judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters, the goods placed on the market under union law before the withdrawal date, the governance, the issues related to the functioning of the union institutions, agencies and bodies and the ongoing police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters.
On 28 June, it was revealed that the EU could face a €20bn funding hole after the UK leaves the Union. Read more.
The Government survived its first test on Thursday 29 June with the support of DUP, as the Queen’s Speech passed through the House of Commons.
First Minister Nicola STURGEON made a U-turn and dropped her plans to hold a second Scottish independence referendum by spring 2019.
Austria: Foreign minister Sebastian KURZ was elected as leader of the center-right People's party.
Netherlands: Former finance minister Gerrit ZALM was announced as the new negotiator tasked with steering the coalition talks with the center-right Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), the Christian Union, the D66 and the Christian Democrats (CDA), after Herman TJEENK WILLINK stepped down.
Romania: Former economy minister, Mihai TUDOSE was appointed as the new prime minister. Ionut MISA was appointed as finance minister, Teodor MELESCANU as foreign affairs minister and Victor NEGRESCU as minister for European affairs. The new cabinet took oath on Thursday 29 June.
