Filenews 6 October 2024 - by Evagoras Prokopiou
On 18 July 2024, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who was elected for a second term, presented to the European Parliament her political guidelines for the next European Commission 2024-2029, essentially revealing the political direction that the new College of Commissioners will have as a whole.
On 17 September, it also presented the list of selected Commissioners from the 26 Member States (after the election the German position is held by her) and defined their portfolios, reflecting her ambitions regarding political guidelines.
The Commissioners-designate will shortly appear at public hearings in the European Parliament to obtain their approval to take up their duties. The European Council, acting by qualified majority, formally appoints the new leadership of the Commission.
The EU Parliament may block the nomination of a candidate for membership of the Commission in personal hearings. For example, Hungary's Oliver Varcheli is expected to find it very difficult to pass the European Parliament's test, also due to his country's political isolation.
The Green Commission
The new European Commission includes a new group on climate and environment. Together, they must overcome internal concerns about ideology and external pressures to enact strict regulations for the green transition to make large-scale changes.
The recognised reputation of the new members of the Commission's climate team, such as Jørgensen, Ribera and Hoekstra, suggests that they are well placed to advance negotiations on new option agreements, at European and international level.
However, von der Leyen's commitment to strengthening climate and energy diplomacy at international level needs to be reflected in greater staffing and better coordination between Commission departments – especially as the outcome of the US presidential election and the EU's changing relations with China will be key factors in defining future climate negotiations, Analysts internationally find.
The Executive Vice-Presidents
- Teresa Ribeira (Spain) will be Executive Vice-President of a clean, just and competitive transition. It will also be responsible for competition policy. It will steer work to ensure that Europe delivers on its objectives set out in the European Green Deal.
- Henna Virkunen (Finland) will be the Executive Vice-President for Technology, Security and Democracy. She will also be responsible for the portfolio of digital and cutting-edge technologies. "I will ask Henna to consider the internal and external aspects of security. But also to strengthen the foundations of our democracy, such as the rule of law, and protect it wherever it is attacked," she said.
- Stéphane Céjournay (France) will be the Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy. He will also be responsible for industry, SMEs and the Single Market portfolio. "He will guide the work to create the conditions for our companies to grow – from investment and innovation to economic stability and trade and financial security," von der Leyen said.
- Kaja Kallas (Estonia) will be the High Representative and Vice-President of the EU. "We are in an era of geostrategic rivalries and instability. Our foreign and security policy must be designed with this reality in mind and must be more in line with our own interests," she said, adding: "I know I can count on it" to ensure we remain a geopolitical commission.
- Rohana Minzatu (Romania) will be the Executive Vice-President for People, Skills and Preparedness. It will have responsibility for skills, education and culture, quality jobs and social rights. R. Minzatou will mainly lead the Skills Union and the European Pillar of Social Rights. It will focus on those areas that are critical to uniting society.
- Raffaele Fito (Italy) will be the Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms. He will be responsible for the portfolio dealing with cohesion policy, regional development and cities. "We will use his extensive experience to help modernise and strengthen our cohesion, investment and growth policies," she said.
THE COMMISSIONERS
The EU has 26 Commissioners, plus the President of the Commission.
In detail, the positions of Commissioners are undertaken:
– Slovak Maroš Šefčovič on trade
– Latvian Valdis Dombrovskis on economy and productivity but also on applicability
– Dubravska Šuica from Croatia for the Mediterranean
– Hungarian Oliver Varcheli on health issues
– Dutchman Wupke Hoestra on environmental issues
– Lithuanian Andrews Kubilius on defense and space issues
– Slovenian Marta Koš on enlargement issues
– Cypriot Costas Kadis on Fisheries and Oceans
– Apostolos Tzitzikostas from Greece on Transport and Tourism
– Maria Albuquerque from Portugal on economic policy
– Belgium's Hadja Labip on crisis management
– Poland's Piotr Seraphim on budget issues
– Denmark's Dan Jorgensen on energy and housing policy
– Bulgarian Ekaterina Zaharieva on startups and innovation
– Irishman Michael McGrath on justice issues
– From Luxembourg, Christoph Hansen on agriculture
– Glenn Mikalev, from Malta, on youth and sport issues
Salaries, privileges, benefits
Shortly before the announcement of the names by the President of the Commission, the financial remuneration package for the Commissioners was presented. With special privileges and benefits that raise their net salary quite high.
The monthly salary of a European Commissioner amounts to €25,910, before taxes, which means that it hovers just over the €310,000 per year, which is paid by European taxpayers.
European Commissioners are entitled to several other allowances, which depend on their personal circumstances. For example, it is the right to the accommodation allowance, which is equal to 15% of their earnings, i.e. close to €3,886 per month. Once they set foot in Brussels, they are entitled to an installation allowance, ranging from €839 to €1,411.
European Commissioners, while away from Brussels, are entitled to reimbursement of travel expenses and payment for the rooms of the hotel in which they stayed. Also, under this umbrella of allowances, travel expenses for EU Commissioners and their family members are reimbursed by the association, as well as a daily travel allowance, which is around €50 per day. Separately, Commissioners are also entitled to €607 per month in entertainment allowance.
EU Commissioners are also entitled to family allowances such as €500 parental leave allowance, €471 per month in dependent child benefit and up to €320 per month in education allowance.
A Commissioner who serves five years in office is paid around €13,000 for five months after completing his term of office, as a transitional allowance. They pay a low amount of tax in the EU and not in their home countries.
Sources: European Commission and European Council on Foreign Relations
