European Commission President-elect Jean Claude Juncker has assigned the portfolio of Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management to Cyprus MEP Christos Stylianides, a member of the EPP Group.
Earlier reports suggested that former government spokesman Stylianides had been mooted for the Internet and Culture portfolio, working alongside Slovenia’s Alenka Bratusek initially porposed as Commission Vice President for Digital and Innovation.
Juncker, who unveiled his 28-member team and the new shape of the next European Commission on Wednesday, said that the portfolio of Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management is assigned to Stylianides who will also be responsible for Civil Protection, Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA).
According to Juncker, the new Commission 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.
“After years of economic hardship and often painful reforms, Europeans expect a performing economy, sustainable jobs, more social protection, safer borders, energy security and digital opportunities. Today I am presenting the team that will put Europe back on the path to jobs and growth. In the new European Commission, form follows function. We have to be open to change. We have to show that the Commission can change. What I present to you today is a political, dynamic and effective European Commission, geared to give Europe its new start. I have given portfolios to people – not to countries. I am putting 27 players in the field, each of whom has a specific role to play – this is my winning team."
The new College will have seven Vice-Presidents, six in addition to the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Policy and Security Policy (Federica Mogherini), each leading a project team.
A First Vice-President (Frans Timmermans) will be the right-hand of the President. This is the first time that there is a Commissioner dedicated to a Better Regulation agenda, guaranteeing that every Commission proposal is truly required and that the aims cannot best be achieved by Member States. The First Vice-President will also act as a watchdog, upholding the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the Rule of Law in all of the Commission's activities.
The new Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SME portfolio (Elžbieta BieÃ…„kowska) will be the engine house of the real economy. There is also for the first time a specific mention of small and medium-sized enterprises, the backbone of our economy.
The new Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs portfolio (Pierre Moscovici) will ensure that taxation and customs union policies become part and parcel of a deep and genuine Economic and Monetary Union and contribute to the smooth functioning of the overall economic governance framework of the EU.
A strong consumer portfolio has been created. Consumer policy is no longer scattered across different portfolios but has a prominent place in the portfolio of the Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality (VÄ›ra Jourová).
The President-elect has also created a Commissioner specifically for Migration (Dimitris Avramopoulos) to prioritise a new policy on migration that will robustly tackle irregular migration, whilst at the same time making Europe an attractive destination for top talent.
A number of portfolios have been reshaped and streamlined. Significantly, the Environment and Maritime Affairs and Fisheries portfolios have been combined (Karmenu Vella) to reflect the twin logic of "Blue" and "Green" Growth. The same logic has been applied in deciding to establish one Commissioner in charge of both Climate Action and Energy policy (Miguel Arias Cañete). Both new portfolios will contribute to the Project Team 'Energy Union' steered and coordinated by Alenka Bratušek.
The Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations portfolio (Johannes Hahn) puts the focus on the continuation of enlargement negotiations, whilst acknowledging that there will be no enlargement of the EU for the next five years.
The new Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union portfolio (Jonathan Hill) will focus the existing expertise and responsibility in one place, a newly created Directorate-General, and ensure the Commission remains active and vigilant in implementing the new supervisory and resolution rules for banks.
In attributing portfolios, Juncker took great care to strike the right balance between genders, political affiliations and competences. A strong and experienced team, the proposed Commission includes 5 former Prime Ministers, 4 Deputy Prime Ministers, 19 former Ministers, 7 returning Commissioners and 8 former Members of the European Parliament. 11 of these have a solid economic and finance background, whilst 8 have extensive foreign relations experience. One third of the members of the new Commission, including the President-elect, campaigned in this year's European elections reaching out to citizens and seeking their support.
Following intense negotiations and on Juncker's insistence, there are 9 female members of the Commission and 3 of the 7 Vice-Presidents are women.
