European Parliament confirms new Commissioners
The European Parliament has approved the college of commissioners proposed by president Ursula von der Leyen after a difficult process. In September commissioner Thierry Breton stepped down with criticism of the process.
“The European Parliament’s vote allows us to start now on 1 December. We are eager to start, and it is critical, because time is pressing,” said von der Leyen. “We face significant political challenges inside our Union, at our borders and in our neighbourhood. We need to boost our competitiveness. And the impact of climate change is felt ever more strongly.
“So I am very happy to be able to count on a strong and experienced team. All College members have demonstrated their skills, motivation and commitment to the European Union in the hearing process. This was recognised, and they all passed. And this is good. Because I have full confidence in their ability to deliver, not only as individuals but also as a team.”
The college also has a new structure, with less commissioners working across more areas but more reporting directly to von der Leyen – see Europe nominates new commissioners
“I am also glad that the structure of the College has been approved by the European Parliament. I wanted a team capable of working across the different silos,” said von der Leyen who was elected for a second term earlier this year.
“Because the challenges of our times are all intertwined. If you take democracy and tech sovereignty, for example; or competitiveness and fairness; or innovation and decarbonisation. So, cooperation across the board is of utmost importance. The structure of the new College will enable efficient teamwork and cross-cutting solutions,” she said.
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