The President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, presented Friday Meglena Kuneva as the designated member of the European Commission proposed by the Bulgarian Government. Ms Kuneva, the current Bulgarian Minister for European Affairs will be responsible for consumer protection.
“I am delighted to welcome among us,” said President Barroso, “the Bulgarian Commissioner designate. From next January, the European Union of 27 will become a reality and that reality will be reflected in the composition of the Commission. I am convinced that Ms Kuneva has the professional and political qualities, as well as the personal commitment and necessary experience to accomplish all the tasks which I am proposing to make her responsible for.”
The Bulgarian Commissioner designate along with the Romanian Commissioner – yet to be designated – will attend hearings at the end of November in the European Parliament, which will give its opinion on the nomination in the following weeks. The hearings will take place according to the procedure adopted in 2004 during the formation of the Barroso Commission.
Meglena Shtilianova Kuneva was born on June 22, 1957 in Sofia.
She has a Master’s degree in Law and graduated from the Faculty of Law at Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski in 1981; awarded PhD in Law in 1984.
She specialized in a number of universities abroad: International Relations and Environmental Law at Georgetown University, Washington, USA, 1995 and 1999-2000; Human Rights at Human Rights Institute, Turku, Finnland, 1993; Environmental Law at Oxford, UK, 1996.
Assistant professor at the Faculty of Law, Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski from 1988 to 1989, and lecturer at the Free University of Burgas and the New Bulgarian University, 1992-1994.
Editor and presenter at the Bulgarian National Radio, January 1987-April 1991.
As a senior legal advisor at the Council of Ministers, 1990-2001, she participated in the drafting of a series of Bulgarian laws in Environment, Access to Information, etc.
Kuneva was elected Member of Parliament in the 39th National Assembly, in June 2001, and appointed Deputy Minister and Bulgaria’s Chief Negotiator with the EU at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, August 2001.
She was appointed Minister of European Affairs and Bulgaria’s Chief Negotiator with the EU and a special representative of the Bulgarian government at the Convention for the Future of Europe, May 2002.
— Statement by Commissioner Markos Kyprianou
Following the announcement, Markos Kyprianou Commissioner responsible for Public Health, Food safety and Consumer Protection said: “I extend my warmest congratulations to Ms. Kuneva on her nomination. Since sometime now, President Barroso and I agreed that Consumer Protection could be a portfolio on its own, particularly appropriate for a new Commissioner.
“Consumer Protection is central to the European citizen’s agenda and while we have achieved a lot for Europe’s Consumers already, there is a substantial work ahead which I’m sure Ms. Kuneva can take forward.
“It has been a great honor to play a role in promoting and defending consumer’s interests in the EU during the last two years. From the revision of the Consumer Credit Directive, to the new Consumer Program Post-2007, the opening of many European Consumer Centers across the Union much has been achieved. Looking forward the revision of the Consumer acquis will be the next challenge which I intend to set out in a Green Paper scheduled for adoption next month. I look forward to assisting and supporting Ms. Kuneva in preparing to take on this challenge in the weeks ahead”.
Following the announcement, Markos Kyprianou Commissioner responsible for Public Health, Food safety and Consumer Protection said: “I extend my warmest congratulations to Ms. Kuneva on her nomination. Since sometime now, President Barroso and I agreed that Consumer Protection could be a portfolio on its own, particularly appropriate for a new Commissioner.
“Consumer Protection is central to the European citizen’s agenda and while we have achieved a lot for Europe’s Consumers already, there is a substantial work ahead which I’m sure Ms. Kuneva can take forward.
“It has been a great honor to play a role in promoting and defending consumer’s interests in the EU during the last two years. From the revision of the Consumer Credit Directive, to the new Consumer Program Post-2007, the opening of many European Consumer Centers across the Union much has been achieved. Looking forward the revision of the Consumer acquis will be the next challenge which I intend to set out in a Green Paper scheduled for adoption next month. I look forward to assisting and supporting Ms. Kuneva in preparing to take on this challenge in the weeks ahead”.
