European Parliament
Outgoing:
Marit PAULSEN (ALDE, SE) will resign as an MEP on 30 September 2015. Jasenko Selimovic is in line to replace her.
Members of the Committees, Subcommittees and the Delegations:
Raffaele FITTO (ECR, IT) left the Committee on Regional Development (REGI).
Edward CZESAK (ECR, PL) joined the Committee on Regional Development (REGI).
Political parties:
Romania: a new political party, called the Alliance of the Liberals and Democrats (ALDE), has been established by the merger of the Liberal Reformist Party (PLR) of the former Prime Minister Calin POPESCU TARICEANU and Romania's Conservative Party (PC) led by Daniel CONSTANTIN.
European Commission:
Cabinets:
Violeta BULC's team (transport): Matej ZAKONJŠEK is the new Head of Cabinet, replacing Marjeta JAGER. Joshua SALSBY is a new member.
Reshuffle: On Wednesday 14 June, the European Commission announced a reshuffle. 11 current Directors-General moved Departments or took on other assignments. 8 current Deputy-Directors will become Directors-General. 2 Deputy-Director-General posts and 3 Hors Classe Advisers will be created. The 3 current Hors Classe Advisers posts will be suppressed. However, the current composition of the team does not include a satisfactory number of women.
What's new: Commission announced the establishment of a Task Force for strategic issues related to the UK referendum as of 1 September. Jonathan FAULL (currently FISMA Director-General) will take on the Director-General position.
As mentioned in our newsletter last week, a Support Group for Structural Reform in charge of steering and coordinating support for growth-enhancing administrative and structural reforms will be launched as of 1 July. Martinus VERWEY (currently ECFIN Deputy Director-General) appointed as Director-General.
A Regulatory Scrutiny Board in SG will be established as of 1 July. Marianne KLINGBEIL (currently Deputy Secretary-General) appointed Director-General.
Directorates-General:
Communication (COMM): Timo PESONEN (currently COMM Deputy and acting Director-General) appointed Director-General as of 1 July.
Communications Networks Content and Technology (CNECT): Roberto VIOLA (currently CNECT Deputy Director-General) appointed Director-General as of 1 September, replacing Robert MADELIN.
Competition (COMP): Johannes LAITENBERGER (currently SJ Deputy Director-General) appointed Director-General as of 1 September, replacing Alexander ITALIANER.
Education and Culture (EAC): Martine REICHERTS (currently OP Director-General) appointed Director-General as of 1 September, replacing Xavier PRATS MONNE.
Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO): Monique PARIAT (currently AGRI Deputy Director-General) appointed Director-General as of 1 September, replacing Claus HAUGAARD SØRENSEN.
Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union (FISMA): Oliver GUERSENT (FISMA Deputy Director-General) appointed Director-General as of 1 September, replacing Jonathan FAULL.
Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MARE): João AGUIAR MACHADO (currently MOVE Director-General) appointed Director-General as of 1 September, replacing Lowri EVANS.
Environment (ENVI): Daniel CALLEJA CRESPO (currently GROW Director-General) appointed Director-General as of 1 September, replacing Karl FALKENBERG.
Health and Food Safety (SANTE): Xavier PRATS MONNE (currently EAC Director-General) appointed Director-General as of 1 September, replacing Ladislav MIRO.
Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (GROW): Lowri EVANS (currently MARE Director-General) appointed Director-General as of 1 September, replacing Daniel CALLEJA CRESPO.
Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (NEAR): Katarina MATHERNOVA appointed Deputy Director-General as of 1 September.
Mobility and Transport (MOVE): Henrik HOLOLEI (currently Deputy Secretary-General) appointed Director-General as of 1 October, replacing João AGUIAR MACHADO.
Secretariat-General (SG): Alexander ITALIANER (currently COMP Director-General) appointed Secretary-General as of 1 September, replacing Catherine DAY.
Taxation and Customs Union (TAXUD): Stephen QUEST (currently DIGIT Director-General) appointed Director-General as of 1 January 2016, replacing Heinz ZOUREK.
Representations in Member States:
Peter BEKX appointed Head of Commission Representation in The Hague, Netherlands, as of 1 September, replacing Andy KLOM.
Sari ARTJOKI appointed Head of Commission Representation in Helsinki, Finland, as of 1 September.
Jörg WOJAHN appointed Head of Commission Representation in Vienna, Austria, as of 1 September, replacing Johann SOLLGRUBER.
Zoran STANCIC appointed Head of Commission Representation in Ljubljana, Slovenia, as of 1 January 2016, replacing Nataŝa GORŜEK MENCIN.
Committee of the Regions:
Rapporteurs: Spyros SPYRIDON (EPP, EL) appointed rapporteur on Better regulation for better results – an EU agenda.
Public Affairs:
European Oncology Nursing Society (EONS): Lena SHARP elected President-Elect and Theresa WISEMAN Board Secretary.
The Leaders of Sustainable Biofuels (LSB): Mika AHO elected as Chairman.
European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA): Roberto VAVASSORI, Vice-President of CLEPA appointed as President starting office on 1 January 2016. Mr VAVASSORI will take over from Arnaud DE DAVID-BEAUREGARD.
News in a nutshell:
Luxembourg: will occupy the Presidency of the Council of the European Union as of 1 July to 31 December 2015. Luxembourg is the last of a Trio presidency along with Italy and Latvia. The next Trio presidency is formed of the Netherlands, Slovakia and Malta.
Romania: Deputy Prime Minister Gabriel OPREA, UNPR (S&D) appointed by President Klaus IOHANNIS (Independent) as interim Prime Minister, while Prime Minister Victor PONTA recovers from a surgery.