Von der Leyen announces candidates for new European Commission

Photo: Ursula von der Leyen

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced the names of candidates for the new European Commission, who will hold office for the next five years, Reuters reports.

Climate change "is… the backdrop to everything we do," von der Leyen said at a press conference, adding that "the security issue, driven by Russia's war in Ukraine, and competitiveness are having… a much greater influence on the composition of" her new team."
The European Commission has the power to propose new EU laws, block mergers and sign free trade agreements.

Each of the bloc's 27 member states will have one seat on the Commission, a role comparable to that of a government minister, although its political weight varies considerably depending on the portfolio.

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Former Lithuanian Prime Minister, MEP and EP rapporteur on Russia Andrius Kubilius will become the first EU Commissioner for Defence. His task will be to strengthen Europe's military production capacity in the face of Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Spanish Minister of Energy and Environment Teresa Ribera will become the bloc's new antitrust commissioner, also responsible for a “clean, fair and competitive transition”.

The list of EU commissioners includes French Foreign Minister Stéphane Sejourne, who is responsible for industrial strategy. Slovak diplomat Maroš Sefčovič will oversee trade policy, and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas will be responsible for external.

Polish Ambassador to the European Union Piotr Serafin has been appointed to a position of responsibility for overseeing the EU budget.

All candidates will undergo hearings in the European Parliament to secure the approval of legislators.

The next EU Commission is expected to begin work before the end of the year.

Prepared by: Sergey Daga