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José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, has announced, on 27 November 2009, the portfolios responsibilities for the next Commission. They will take office in January, after the audition of each member by the European Parliament, from 11 to 19 January 2010.

Changes in the Portfolio

The new College will have 7 Vice-Presidents, including Vice-President Baroness Catherine Ashton who will be the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty on 1 December.

New portfolios have been created: Climate Action; Home Affairs; Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, in addition of the new reconfiguration of other ones: Industry and Entrepreneurship, Research and Innovation Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth; Health and Consumer Policy; International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response. In particular, the state aid competencies currently in DG TREN will move to DG Competition (COMP), whereas Climate Directorate ENV C moves to the new DG for Climate Action (except the Clean Air Unit C.3).

Who are the new Commisioners

For DG Transport, former Estonian Commissioner for Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud Siim Kallas (ELDR) succeeded to Antonio Tajani (Italy, EPP), who will be in charge of Industry and Entrepreneurship.

Günther H. Oettinger (Germany, EPP), replaces Andris Piebalgs (who moves to Development) at Energy directorate while Janez Potočnik moves from Science and Research to Environment, in place of Stavros Dimas. Oettinger is former First Minister for Baden-Württemberg.  He has an academic background in law and economics and has held a series of political roles since the early eighties. In 1991, he became president of the CDU group in the State Parliament. In response to his appointment, Oettinger rejected claims that he would campaign for nuclear power, but would rather advocate an “energy mix that would enable the EU to be as self-sufficient as possible”.

For his part, Potočnik will focus on issues such as environmental protection, preserving biodiversity and furthering environmentally-friendly industry which he believes will also be an important contribution in the fight against climate change. In response to fears that his portfolio could be overshadowed by that of the Climate Change Commissioner, Potočnik stressed that it will enable all environment-related issues to receive the attention they deserve.

Johannes Hahn (Austria, EPP) takes the  succession of Pawel Samecki who made an interim at Regional Development, after the election of Danuta Hübner at the European Parliament. The former Austrian Minister for Science and Research highlighted the importance of pursuing a cohesive policy with a particular emphasis on regional research activities aimed at enhancing Europe’s regions.

The head of the new Directorate General for Climate Change, is attributed to Danish Minister of Energy and Climate, Connie Hedegaard, who will, first, lead the negotiations at the COP15.

The commissioners chosen by José Manuel Barroso are the following:

Joaquín ALMUNIA (Spain): Competition. Vice-President of the Commission

László ANDOR (Hungary): Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion

Baroness Catherine ASHTON (UK): High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security and Vice-President of the Commission

Michel BARNIER (France):  Internal Market and Services

Dacian CIOLOŞ (Romania): Agriculture and Rural Development

John DALLI (Malta): Health and Consumer Policy

Maria DAMANAKI (Greece): Maritime Affairs and Fisheries

Karel De GUCHT (Belgium): Trade

Štefan FÜLE (Czech Rep.): Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy

Máire GEOGHEGAN QUINN (Ireland): Research and Innovation

Johannes HAHN (Austria): Regional Policy

Connie HEDEGAARD (Denmark): Climate Action

Rumiana JELEVA (Bulgaria): International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response

Siim KALLAS (Estonia): Transport. Vice-President of the Commission

Neelie KROES (Netherlands): Digital Agenda. Vice-President of the Commission

Janusz LEWANDOWSKI (Poland): Budget and Financial Programming

Cecilia MALMSTRÖM (Sweden): Home Affairs

Günther H. OETTINGER (Germany): Energy

Andris PIEBALGS (Latvia): Development

Janez POTOČNIK (Slovenia): Environment

Viviane REDING (Luxembourg): Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship. Vice-President of the Commission

Olli REHN (Finland): Economic and Monetary Affairs

Maroš ŠEFČOVIČ (Slovakia): Vice-President of the Commission for Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration

Algirdas ŠEMETA (Lithuania): Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud

Antonio TAJANI (Italy): Industry and Entrepreneurship. Vice-President of the Commission

Androulla VASSILIOU (Cyprus): Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth