In November 2009, re-appointed Commission President Jose-Manual Barroso proposed his new team of Commissioners. Under the new Lisbon Treaty, which entered into force on 1 December 2009, the European Parliament has been granted increased rights to contest the appointment of individual Commissioners.
On 11 February 2010, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) approved the appointment of the Commissioners following extensive hearings. During the hearings the Commissioners-Designate have to present their future policy proposals and have to demonstrate their ability and leadership to progress the respective policy portfolios. Under the new Lisbon Treaty, the new Commission has 27 members, one from each Member State.
The new Energy Commissioner is Günter Oettinger from Germany (previously Prime Minister of Baden Wurttemberg). He defined the following key points on the future of energy policy during his hearing in the European Parliament:
- Main focus of energy policy in the next 5 years:
o Decarbonisation of fossil fuels, building a low carbon economy;
o Implementation of energy efficiency, and the national energy efficiency action plans (possibly a new one as well);
o Implementation of the opening up electricity and gas markets;
o Energy solidarity;
o Energy security:
§ External: common EU energy/foreign policy (prevention of bilateral energy agreements);
§ Internal: smart grids and meters;
- 3 key strategies: sustainability, competitiveness and security of supply.
Former Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik (Slovenian) is now responsible for Environment. He summarised his overall strategy as:
- “Taking environmental issues out of the shadow of the climate change agenda” – probably referring to the new Climate Change DG created from the current parts of DG Environment;
- Ensuring that environment and economy go hand-in-hand (resource-efficiency), while environmental legislation is enforced strictly;
- Increasing the funding for projects working towards the sustainability goals.
The new Innovation Commissioner is Maire Geoghegan-Quinn from Ireland. She aims to use this new cross-cutting portfolio to allocate more EU structural funds to build research infrastructure and capacity:
- Developing the European Research Area;
- Special focus on SMEs role in innovation;
- Review of the 7th Framework Programme.
The new Climate Action portfolio was given to Connie Hedegaard from Denmark (previously Danish Climate and Energy Minister), who will focus efforts on including transport emissions in the EU’s Climate Change and Energy Package, green growth without protectionism, increase funds for clean energy gradually moving away from fossil fuels and she also spoke in favour of continuing the international climate change negotiations under the UN process.
For more information about the Commissioners, please click here.