Jean-Claude Juncker, the new President of the European Commission, has revealed the institution’s new portfolios and to which Commissioners they will be assigned.
The new Commission, including seven Vice Presidents, “will be streamlined to focus on tackling the big political challenges Europe is facing: getting people back to work in decent jobs, triggering more investment, making sure banks lend to the real economy again, creating a connected digital market, a credible foreign policy and ensuring Europe stands on its own feet when it comes to energy security.”
Contrary to previous rumours, the UK has been awarded the highly sought after new Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union portfolio under Lord Hill, which will focus the existing expertise and responsibility in one place, a newly created Directorate-General, with the task of ensuring that the Commission remains active and vigilant in implementing the new supervisory and resolution rules for banks.
Later this month, the European Parliament has the task of scrutiny of, and eventually consenting to, the entire College of Commissioners, including the President himself and High-Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini. Following the hearings of the Commissioners-designate in the relevant parliamentary committees and subsequent approval, the European Council formally appoints the European Commission. The new Commission is due to take office on 1 November.
Below are a number of public affairs practitioner reactions to the portfolio announcement.
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Pauliina Murphy, Group Head of Public Affairs, RSA Insurance Group |
The UK has done some serious, last-minute negotiation to be handed the financial services portfolio. Notably, Lord Hill will need to work closely with his French counterpart, Pierre Moscovici, who has responsibility for financial affairs. I’m not sure anyone knows just how this split will work in practice but I hope some positive oversight and coordination will be provided by the Finnish Commissioner Jyrki Katainen who, as one of Juncker’s VPs, will look to promote jobs, growth, investment and competitiveness. It’s right that these issues are at the heart of the Commission’s policy making. They will be critical in strengthening the EU’s economic recovery and thus making the EU more relevant for citizens.
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Grégoire Poisson, Managing Partner, Interel EU |
With a completely revamped structure and portfolio allocation, the Juncker Commission offers a fresh opportunity for every EU public affairs practitioner to reassess entirely the 4Ps - People, Politics, Policies and Power - of their lobbying mix in Brussels. This new Commission brings new faces and new priorities, such as Slovenian ex-Prime minister Alenka Bratušek, in charge of the unprecedented yet highly crucial Energy Union portfolio. Our job is to remain on top of the game and ahead of the massive crowd of stakeholders in town. Winning a campaign will depend on how well your story sticks and keeps its momentum.
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Kajsa Stenström, Senior Advisor, MHP Communications Brussels |
Looking at the Juncker Commission, one can hardly talk of the New vs. Old Europe anymore. Following Donald Tusk’s nomination for President of the European Council, Poland’s Elżbieta BieÅ„kowska receives a powerful Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs portfolio (first time the importance of SMEs has been acknowledged like this). Moreover, four out of seven Vice-Presidents come from the “new countries”, some of them steering the work of Commissioners from the traditionally influential West European countries. It remains to be seen what this will mean in practice but it certainly bodes well for the equality of representation. What also remains to be seen is how successfully Vice-Presidents will work with and across the other Commissioners.
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Robert Condon, Managing Director, Hume Brophy |
Today in Brussels one nomination stands out above the rest. The UK’s Lord Hill has been assigned the highly coveted Financial Services regulation portfolio. At a time when the UK’s future in Europe is under intense domestic scrutiny this is a bold move by the Commission’s new President Jean Claude Juncker. It is even more remarkable given his very public clash with David Cameron over his elevation to the EU’s top job in June. Those who criticised the UK’s stance on financial services during the last Commission mandate will no doubt see this latest appointment as controversial and will certainly be vocal during his Parliamentary hearing. However, the political message sent today by Juncker is unmistakable. The UK’s concerns about the strategic importance of its financial services industry have been recognised and the UK’s continued membership of the EU is deeply valued. Juncker has signalled his intention to keep the UK at the heart of Europe.