Commissioners assemble: Class of 2019-2024

Johannes Hahn (EPP)

Portfolio: Budget and Administration

The current EU enlargement chief was nominated for another spell in Brussels, after first arriving at the Berlaymont HQ in 2010 as regional policy Commissioner. He will report directly to von der Leyen and will be her lieutenant in making sure the Commission is gender-balanced and fully digital. A budget committee hearing on 3 October ended in success, meaning the Austrian will serve a 3rd term in the Commission. Hahn will remain responsible for relations with Switzerland.

Cabinet list

📝 Parliament hearing roundup: live blog

📤 Mission letter from von der Leyen

🎥 Hearing introductory remarks

Didier Reynders (Renew)

Portfolio: Justice

Reynders will take on the rule of law job. Belgium’s foreign minister was in the running to be Commissioner under Jean-Claude Juncker but was ultimately unsuccessful, as the outgoing Commission chief wanted a female candidate, a wish ultimately fulfilled by Marianne Thyssen. Since his announcement as justice chief, he was subject of a corruption probe by public prosecutors that has since concluded. His main tasks will be to lead work on a comprehensive European Rule of Law Mechanism and getting the new European Public Prosecutors Office up and running.

Cabinet list

Parliament hearing roundup: live blog

📤 Mission letter

📝 Background

🎥 Hearing introductory remarks

Mariya Gabriel (EPP)

Portfolio: Research, Innovation, Education, Culture & Youth

Juncker’s digital chief took over from Kristalina Georgieva, who left her post as vice-president in 2016, and has since done enough in the job to convince Prime Minister Boyko Borissov that she is deserving of another shot. Her new duties will include boosting the Erasmus student exchange programme and concluding work on the Horizon Europe agreement. She faced her committee hearing on 30 September and was later approved. Gabriel’s portfolio was given an expanded title shortly before MEPs voted in favour of the whole Commission.

Cabinet list

📝 Parliament hearing roundup: live blog

📤 Mission letter

🎥 Hearing replay and introductory remarks

Dubravka Šuica (EPP)

Portfolio: Vice-President Democracy and Demography

MEP Šuica, now in her second European Parliament mandate,  is a former mayor of Dubrovnik and a vice-president of the EPP. She will be in charge of the Commission’s Conference on the Future of Europe programme and will be Croatia’s first VP since it joined the bloc in 2013. 

Cabinet list

📝 Parliament hearing roundup: live blog

📤 Mission letter

🎥 Hearing introductory remarks

Stella Kyriakides (EPP)

Portfolio: Health

Kyriakides is a former MEP and also served as the president of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly. Von der Leyen has tasked the Cypriot with ensuring there are affordable medicines and setting up a “European Health Data Space”. She will also contribute to efforts against food fraud. 

Cabinet list

📝 Parliament hearing roundup: live blog

📤 Mission letter

📝 Background

🎥 Hearing replay and introductory remarks

Věra Jourová (Renew)

Portfolio: Vice-President Values and Transparency

The returning Commissioner will not be responsible for rule of law, as previously speculated. Instead, she will help repair bridges between the EU Council and Parliament by looking into transnational lists and shoring up the Spitzenkandidat system. Jourová will also work on media pluralism and the EU’s accession to the charter of human rights. 

Cabinet list

📝 Parliament hearing roundup: live blog

📤 Mission letter

📝 Background

🎥 Hearing introductory remarks

Margrethe Vestager (Renew)

Portfolio: Executive Vice-President Europe Fit For the Digital Age & Competition

After coming up short in her bid to be Juncker’s successor, Vestager takes on a senior vice-presidency position in von der Leyen’s administration. The Dane will stick with her current competition responsibilities and take on new digital-focused duties. That includes working on a new AI strategy, industrial plan and SME plan, as well as a new digital tax. Vestager will also review competition rules, which were heavily criticised by Berlin and Paris following the Alstom-Siemens case. 

Cabinet list

📝 Parliament hearing roundup: live blog and Vestager wins Parliament support

📤 Mission letter

📝 Background

🎥 Hearing introductory remarks

Kadri Simson (Renew)

Portfolio: Energy

Simson’s brief includes tasks like boosting renewables and energy efficiency measures, as well as contributing to carbon border tax design and the review of the taxation directive. 

Cabinet list

📝 Parliament hearing roundup: live blog

📤 Mission letter

📝 Background

🎥 Hearing introduction

Jutta Urpilainen (S&D)

Portfolio: International Partnerships

Her nomination quashed any rumours that failed Commission president candidate Alexander Stubb could be parachuted in as Finland’s pick. Urpilainen, a former finance minister, has also worked as a special envoy in Ethiopia. Regarding speculation there would be an Africa Commissioner, Von der Leyen said that such a job could be discriminatory. Her new duties will include working on a comprehensive strategy for Africa though. 

Cabinet list

📝 Parliament hearing roundup: live blog

📤 Mission letter

🎥 Hearing replay and introductory remarks

Thierry Breton (Renew) 

Portfolio: Internal Market (also defence and space)

After two Parliament hearings, Sylvie Goulard was rejected by MEPs, 82 votes to 29. Emmanuel Macron later insisted he had warned von der Leyen about the skeletons in the former minister’s closet when proposing three names to her. The French president named former finance minister Thierry Breton on 24 October. An alumnus of Jacques Chirac’s final stint at the Elysee, Breton was up until then head of multinational IT company Atos.The Parliament’s legal affairs committee narrowly gave him the green light on 12 November, 12 votes in favour and 11 against. A successful full hearing on 14 November meant he avoided the same fate as Goulard.

Cabinet list

📝 Breton hearing roundup I: liveblog

📝 Breton hearing roundup II: Breton avoids same fate as Sylvie Goulard

🎥 Breton hearing introduction

📤 Mission letter

📝 Background on Thierry Breton

📝 Background on portfolio

📝 Goulard hearing roundup I: Goulard given rough ride by Parliament

📝 Goulard hearing roundup II: Why Goulard was rejected 

🎥 Goulard hearing introduction

Ursula von der Leyen (EPP)

After securing a narrow majority from the European Parliament to lead the Commission for the next five years, von der Leyen is the institution’s first female president.

Cabinet list

📝 Background

🎥 Highlights of Commission announcement

Margaritis Schinas (EPP)

Portfolio: Vice-President Promoting Our European Way of Life

A mainstay of the Commission press room thanks to his role as chief spokesperson, Schinas makes the leap to vice-president. His duties will include migration affairs, culture and sport. The Greek’s job title has provoked controversy though, with many critics accusing von der Leyen of co-opting the language of the far-right. MEPs wrote to her calling for a change of wording and on 13 November, the Commission agreed to change the title from ‘protecting’ to ‘promoting’.

Cabinet list

📝 Parliament hearing background: Schinas puts in good performance, MEPs insist on name change

📤 Mission letter

📝 Background on nomination

🎥 Hearing introductory remarks

Olivér Várhelyi (EPP – suspended) 

Portfolio: Neighbourhood and Enlargement

On 26 September, the JURI committee voted not to allow the initial Hungarian candidate to proceed to his full hearing, citing a conflict of interest. Budapest named EU ambassador Olivér Várhelyi in his stead and on 29 October and he eventually got the green light.

Cabinet list

📝 Parliament hearing: liveblog 

📝 Background on rejection

📤 Mission letter 

🎥 Introductory remarks

Mairead McGuinness (EPP)

Formerly – Phil Hogan (EPP)

Portfolio: Financial Stability, Financial Services and the Capital Markets Union

Hogan had decided to stay on in Brussels as trade chief, where he aimed to conclude ongoing negotiations, reform the WTO and help set up a carbon border tax. After a failed attempt to build enough interest in a run at the empty WTO top job, Hogan fell foul of public and Irish government opinion when he attended an event and failed to observe quarantine rules. He later tendered his resignation and von der Leyen requested that Dublin name two candidates – again, a female and male – for the empty slot. MEP McGuinness won the nod over former EIB VP Andrew McDowell and was later confirmed by the European Parliament as the newest member of the Commissioner team.

Hogan details:

Cabinet list

📝 Parliament hearing roundup: Hogan convinces MEPs by toughening trade stance

📤 Mission letter

📝 Background

🎥 Hearing replay and introductory remarks

Paolo Gentiloni (S&D)

Portfolio: Economy

Former PM Paolo Gentiloni was the last name proposed by a national government after political turmoil in Rome delayed the announcement. His main tasks will include monitoring implementation of the stability and growth pact and collaborating on a number of fiscal measures like the carbon border tax and energy taxation review. In his hearing on 3 October he said that Italy would not get any special treatment under his watch. On 13 November, the Commission announced that Gentiloni would also oversee the Sustainable Development Goals.

Cabinet chat

📝 Parliament hearing roundup: live blog

📤 Mission letter

📝 Background

🎥 Hearing introductory remarks

Valdis Dombrovskis (EPP)

Portfolio: Executive Vice-President for an Economy That Works For People & Trade

Vice-president for the euro Dombrovskis is also one of the cadre of returning Commissioners. He makes the leap up to executive VP; highlights of his new duties include integrating the Sustainable Development Goals into the European Semester and implementing the Pillar of Social Rights. The Latvian will also be the main link between the Commission and European Investment Bank, which aims to target half of its financing towards climate investments by 2025. In October 2020, he added trade to his list of duties, after colleague Phil Hogan resigned and was replaced by Mairead McGuinness.

Cabinet chat

Parliament hearing roundup: live blog

📤 Mission letter

📝 Background

🎥 Hearing introductory remarks

Virginijus Sinkevičius (Greens/EFA)

Portfolio: Environment, Oceans and Fisheries

Lithuania’s 28-year-old economy minister is the youngest Commissioner ever to take office as well as only the second green representative. Hailing from the Farmers and Greens Party, which is not actually affiliated to its European equivalent, Sinkevičius has faced criticism from his own party colleagues over his lack of experience and is known for keeping a ‘Make America Great Again’ baseball cap on his desk. As successor to Malta’s Karmenu Vella, he will draft a Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and a new circular economy plan. On 13 November, ‘fisheries’ was added to his portfolio, after the Parliament exerted pressure.

Cabinet chat

Parliament hearing roundup: live blog

📤 Mission letter

📝 Background 

🎥 Hearing introductory remarks

Nicolas Schmit (S&D)

Portfolio: Jobs and Social Rights

His nomination was settled by a government deal reached after 2018’s general elections and demonstrates how seriously the Grand Duchy takes its Commissioner appointments. Schmit is tasked with making good on von der Leyen’s pledge to make sure all EU citizens have access to a fair minimum wage. On 13 November, ‘social rights’ was added to his job title.

Cabinet list

Parliament hearing roundup: live blog

📤 Mission letter

🎥 Hearing replay and introductory remarks

Helena Dalli (S&D)

Portfolio: Equality

A former minister for EU affairs and equality, Dalli is tasked with a new portfolio and proposing a European Gender Strategy. She faced MEPs on 2 October and was given the green light, although there were “reservations”.

Cabinet chat

Parliament hearing roundup: live blog

📤 Mission letter

🎥 Hearing introductory remarks

Frans Timmermans (S&D)

Portfolio: Executive Vice-President for European Green Deal & Climate Action

Another also-ran for the Commission top job, Timmermans was promised a senior vice-presidency role, similar to his current job. He will wear two hats, overseeing all Commissioners responsible for Green Deal issues, as well as serving as climate Commissioner. He is expected to propose a new climate law within the first 100 days of the Commission, including the pending net-zero 2050 emissions target.

Cabinet list

Parliament hearing roundup: Timmermans talks the talk in EP hearing

📤 Mission letter

📝 Background

🎥 Hearing introductory remarks 

Janusz Wojciechowski (ECR)

Portfolio: Agriculture

Krzysztof Szczerski (ECR), the head of President Andrej Duda’s cabinet, withdrew his name from consideration on 26 August, revealing that he was set to be offered the agriculture portfolio, a sector in which he has little experience. The government confirmed former MEP Janusz Wojciechowski as their new pick on the same day. Concluding talks on CAP reform will be his main task. 

Cabinet list

Parliament hearing roundup I: Hogan’s CAP proposal is ‘not the Bible’

Parliament hearing roundup II: Not lost in translation, Wojciechowski gets nod

📤 Mission letter

🎥 Hearing replay and introductory remarks

Elisa Ferreira (S&D)

Portfolio: Cohesion and Reforms

Ferreira will be charged with helping to design a new Just Transition Fund to help poorer regions adapt to the energy transition, among other new reforms. MEPs questioned her on 2 October and the REGI committee later decided to sanction her candidacy.

Cabinet list

Parliament hearing roundup: live blog

📤 Mission letter

🎥 Hearing introductory remarks

Adina-Ioana Vălean (EPP)

Portfolio: Transport 

On 26 September, the JURI committee voted not to allow Rovana Plumb to proceed to her full hearing. After initially proposing Dan Nica as a replacement, the government was toppled by a vote of no-confidence on 10 October. As opposition forces fail to put together a working alternative, the caretaker administration named former MEP Victor Negrescu on 29 October as the new candidate. However, the day after, the Commission said his candidacy was not under consideration, after Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said acting PM Viorica Dancila did not have the right to make the nomination. After the country’s parliament backed a minority EPP-affiliated government on 4 November, MEPs Siegfried Mureșan and Adina-Ioana Vălean were nominated, with the female candidate getting the nod. She then endured a tough hearing on 14 November but did just enough to get the green light from the committee.

Cabinet list

📝 Parliament hearing roundup: liveblog

📝 Background on rejection: Romania and Hungary fall at first hurdle

📝 Background on government collapse: EPP to push for Muresan as Commissioner 

📝 Background on failed nomination: Romania relies on fifth time lucky

📤 Mission letter

Maroš Šefčovič (S&D)

Portfolio: Vice-President for Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight

The Slovak official is staying in Brussels for yet another spell as Commissioner, in the wake of unsuccessful attempts at the Commission and Slovak presidency. Formerly a vice-president overseeing the Energy Union, Šefčovič will remain a VP and take on duties he is familiar with from his first stint in Brussels. His passion project, the European battery alliance, will remain under his oversight. 

Cabinet list

📝 Parliament hearing roundup: live blog

📤 Mission letter

🎥 Hearing replay and introductory remarks

Janez Lenarčič (Renew)

Portfolio: Crisis Management

Lenarčič, a career diplomat, will coordinate work improving the EU’s response to natural disasters and emergencies, set to become more important as climate change has a more noticeable impact on the continent. The Slovenian candidate faced MEPs on 2 October, in what was considered an impressive performance. 

Cabinet list

📝 Parliament hearing roundup: live blog

📤 Mission letter

🎥 Hearing remarks

Josep Borrell (S&D)

Portfolio: High-Representative

Borrell landed the bloc’s high representative job as part of the Council’s protracted top job talks. His nomination is not free of controversy though, given his previous diplomatic blunders, the Catalan issue and his age.

📝 Parliament hearing roundup: live blog

📥 Letter from von der Leyen to Donald Tusk on appointment

📤 Mission letter

🎥 Hearing introduction

Ylva Johansson (S&D)

Portfolio: Home Affairs

Employment Minister Johansson is “someone to get the job done”, according to von der Leyen. She takes over some duties from Greek Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos. Her main task will be to relaunch asylum reform efforts and make sure there are legal migration routes to the EU. Johansson’s services will also tackle terrorist content online and radicalisation. After an underwhelming hearing on 1 October, the Swede submitted written replies to questions and MEPs belatedly waved her through on 8 October.

Cabinet list

📝 Parliament hearing roundup: live blog

📤 Mission letter

🎥 Hearing replay and introductory remarks

None – Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s insistence that the UK will still leave the EU means that there was no name on the table, despite the previous assumption that unaffiliated diplomat Julian King would stay on if the UK’s membership extended into the mandate of the new Commission. The Commission threatened to launch an infringement procedure against the UK for not naming a candidate but the issue was somewhat put to bed after the Council and Parliament signed off on a 27-member executive.

📝 UK officially declines to name new EU Commissioner

📝 UK set to backtrack and name EU Commissioner

Secretary-General of the Commission – Following the departure of Martin Selmayr, the EU executive needed a new senior civil servant. Latvia’s Ilze Juhansone was appointed. 

Spokespeople – Commission official Eric Mamer, a director in the industry DG, will head up the comms unit. Romanian official Dana Spinant will serve as his deputy. Here is a complete list of the SPP service.

Twitter info – A full list of the Commissioner-delegates that use Twitter can be accessed here. Feel free to subscribe