Today’s Movers & Shakers are about: Parliament set to welcome new MEP, GUE/NGL coordinators in the newly created Parliamentary committees, the MEP leaving the Identity and Democracy group, the new Polish cabinet, the latest Commission, public affairs appointments, and much more!
European Parliament
Plenary highlights
Rule of law - After debating a report put forward by Michal Šimečka (RE, SK) which called for a mechanism combining several EU tools to monitor the respect of rule of law and European values (Annual Monitoring Mechanism), MEPs adopted the proposal by an overwhelming majority on Wednesday (521 votes in favour, 152 against and 21 abstentions).
Climate – On Tuesday, the Parliament voted to update the EU’s climate target for 2030, backing a 60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the end of the decade, up from a previous target of 40%. A wider vote on Wednesday saw MEPs adopt a negotiating mandate on the EU climate law with 392 votes in favour, 161 against and 142 abstentions. The law seeks to enshrine into hard legislation the EU’s goal of reaching climate neutrality by 2050. Jytte Guteland (S&D, SE) had been Parliament’s rapporteur on the proposed European Climate Law.
Commissioners - The Parliament approved the appointments of Mairead McGuinness (IE) as Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and the Capital Markets Union and Valdis Dombrovskis (LV) to the role of Commissioner for Trade at a vote on Wednesday. McGuinness received 583 votes in favour with 75 against while Dombrovskis got 515 in favour and 110 against.
Committees and Delegations
Members
Łukasz Kohut (S&D, PL) joins the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee (LIBE).
Sylwia Spurek (Greens/EFA) joins the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee (FEMM) replacing Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield (Greens/EFA, FR). Spurek also joins the Russia Delegation (D-RU).
Substitutes
Ivo Hristov (S&D, BG) joins the Committee of Inquiry on the Protection of Animals during Transport (ANIT) replacing Petar Vitanov (S&D, BG).
Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield (Greens/EFA, FR) becomes a substitute of the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee (FEMM). She was formerly second vice-chair of the committee. Delbos-Corfield replaces Terry Reintke (Greens/EFA, DE) who has left the committee.
Ska Keller (Greens/EFA, DE) has left the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee (LIBE).
Robert Biedroń (S&D, PL) joins the Canada Delegation (D-CA).
Incoming
Sara Matthieu (Greens/EFA, BE), chair of the Belgian Green Party in Ghent, will succeed Petra de Sutter in Parliament. Matthieu has been active with the European Greens from an early age, including as a board member of the Party. Amongst her primary political interests are working towards solutions on climate change and the refugee crisis.
Political groups
GUE/NGL
The group have elected their coordinators in four of the five newly set-up parliamentary committees:
Sub-committee on tax matters (FISC) - José Gusmão (PT)
Special Committee on foreign interference in all democratic processes in the European Union, including disinformation (INGE) - Manu Pineda (ES)
Special Committee on artificial intelligence in a digital age (AIDA) - Sandra Pereira (PT)
Inquiry Committee on animal transport (ANIT) - Anja Hazekamp (NL)
Non-attached
Andrea Caroppo (IT) has left the Identity and Democracy group and will now sit with non-attached members citing the poor results of Matteo Salvini’s League party in the regional elections, especially in Caroppo’s home region of Puglia.
European Commission
Directorates-General and Services
Budget (BUDG)
Emmanuelle Ott replaces André Pening as Head of Unit R3 (IT development) in an acting capacity.
Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MARE)
Valérie Tankink replaces Anna Zito as Head of Unit D3 (CFP and Structural Support, Policy Development and Coordination). Zito had been performing the role in an acting capacity.
Marie-Laure Casoni replaces Tankink in her previous role as Head of Unit E4 (Legal Affairs).
Mobility and Transport (MOVE)
Richard Szostak joins as Principal Adviser to the Director-General.
Research and Innovation (RTD)
Patrick Brenier joins as an adviser for ERA and Open Science in Directorate G (Research and Innovation Outreach).
Secretariat-General (SG)
Michael Gremminger has left his role as Head of Unit F2 (Migration, Borders & Security), leaving a vacant position.
Other EU Institutions and Agencies
Committee of the Regions
Joke Schauvliege (EPP, BE) has been appointed rapporteur on the opinion on 'Experiences and lessons learned by regions and cities during the COVID-19 crisis'.
European Central Bank (ECB)
The Eurogroup has given its support to the candidacy of Frank Elderson (NL) to become the new member of the Executive Board. Elderson was chosen over his opponent Boštjan Jazbec from Slovenia. Elderson, who is currently executive board member of the Dutch central bank, is set to replace Yves Mersch (LU), whose mandate ends on 14 December. The Council will now adopt a recommendation to put forward to the European Council. The European Council will then consult the European Parliament and the Governing Council of the ECB. It is expected to adopt its final decision by the end of the year.
Public Affairs
Ceemet - European Tech & Industry Employers
Delphine Rudelli has been appointed Director-General succeeding Uwe Combüchen after having led the association for more than two decades. Rudelli joins Ceemet from UIMM, the French employer’s organisation for the metal and technology-based industries, where she headed the European and international affairs department.
European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP)
András Süle has been designated as president-elect, commencing a 3-year term of office from June 2021. Süle is currently the Chief Pharmacist at Péterfy Hospital and Trauma Center in Budapest and the Chief Pharmacy Advisor at Duna Medical Center. In addition, he serves as FMD and eHealth advisor at the National Healthcare Services Center in Hungary and was the President of the Hungarian Chamber of Hospital Pharmacists prior to joining EAHP’s Board of Directors in 2014. Before becoming president-elect, he served as Director of Professional Development and Director of Finance. Aida Batista will remain vice-president and Nenad Miljković takes up the position of Director of Finance.
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
Odile Renaud-Basso (FR) has been elected as president to succeed Suma Chakrabarti (UK) who stepped down in July. Renaud-Basso is currently Director-General of the French Treasury and has overseen the development of France’s economic policies, leading on European and international financial affairs, trade policies, financial regulation and debt management. In this position, she also served as vice-president of the European Economic and Financial Committee, deputy to the G7 and G20 groups and French Governor or Alternate Governor of the World Bank, EBRD and African Development Bank. She is also Chair of the Paris Club.
European Federation of Bottled Water (EFBW)
Muriel Lienau (FR), CEO of Nestlé Waters in Europe, Middle East and North Africa (EMENA), has been elected president for the next two years. Lienau succeeds Jean-Pierre Deffis, who had been at the helm of EFBW since 2014. Udo Kremer (Verband Deutscher Mineralbrunnen), Gavin Partington (British Soft Drink Association), Alessandro Pasquale (Mattoni 1873), and Francisco Vallejo (ANEABE - Aguas Minerales de España), will second Lienau as EFBW’s vice-presidents and treasurer respectively.
Got a new appointment you would like us to include in our next newsletter? Click here to let us know about it!
National News
Poland
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced a cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday. Notable appointments include founder of the Law and Justice party (ECR) Jaroslaw Kaczynski being named as deputy prime-minister responsible for defence, justice and interior ministries.
For a full breakdown of the new cabinet, visit dodspeople.eu.
Slovenia
Agriculture minister Aleksandra Pivec stepped down from her post on Monday following her resignation as the leader of the Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia (EDP). She resigned just a few hours before the National Assembly was to vote on her dismissal. The prime minister has ten days to put forward a new candidate, temporarily give the post to another minister or take over at the ministry himself. The Democratic Party of Pensioners has already announced it will put forward Agriculture Ministry State Secretary Jože Podgoršek.
Stay ahead of the game by subscribing to our weekly newsletter.
Want to know more? Click here for more information on our Dods People EU service.
