The configuration of Ursula von der Leyen’s next Community Executive is surprising in some respects. The composition of the College of Commissioners gives the Migration portfolio to Austrian Finance Minister Magnus Brunnerplaces important economic portfolios in the hands of southern European countries and gives Eastern European countries, which oppose the Russian military invasion of Ukraine, powers in the war in Ukraine.
It is nevertheless striking that one of the countries most active in calling for faster implementation of migration policies and most critical of the EU’s slowness is the one that holds responsibility for the migration portfolio. The Austrian Minister of Finance will be responsible for implementing the Pact on Migration and Asylum but also to strengthen the borders and develop an internal security strategy.
Recall that in May, the Austrian Chancellor, the conservative Karl Nehammer, welcomed the controversial British plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda and called for the European Union to replicate such a model with illegal immigration. The German decision may have been influenced by the fact that Austria will face national elections at the end of the month.
Economy
On the economic front, the German company tried to reassure frugal countries by placing a well-known face, that of the Latvian Valdis Dombrovskis to head the Economy and Productivity portfolioHowever, southern European countries have gained weight in the distribution of responsibilities in this segment.
Italy is a heavyweight in the Community framework, but the fact that Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party is part of the far-right Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group in the European Parliament has raised some suspicions. Finally, Italian Minister Raffaele Fitto has become one of the executive vice-presidencies, in charge of the entire cohesion policy budget. Portugal, and its former Finance Minister, has acquired the portfolio of Union of Financial Services and Savings and Investmentwhich until the Letta report was the capital markets union.
The Spaniard Ribera has taken over one of the Brussels heavyweights, the Competition portfolio, while the French minister arrives in Brussels to make a place for himself within the European industrial strategy at a key moment for the bloc’s competitiveness. Greece will have the former president of the Committee of the Regions, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, as its commissioner for sustainable transport and tourism.
Ukraine and the East
The Russian military invasion of Ukraine has prompted very strong positions from the EU’s eastern countries that border Moscow. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen saw the potential in these countries’ strong voices and gave them most of the responsibility for the war in Ukraine in her new college of commissioners.
Two Baltic countries will be responsible for relations with Russia. The appointment of the former Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas, as EU High Representative This is not surprising since the member states had already supported this nomination in June. But she is now joined by Lithuanian Andrius Kibiluis, who has been given the newly created position of defence commissioner. “This will contribute to the development of the European Defence Union and boost our investments and industrial capacity,” explained Von der Leyen.
The Lithuanian will answer to Finland’s executive vice-presidency. Henna Virkkunen will lead technological sovereignty, security and democracy. And at a time when the EU is considering its enlargement, with Ukraine and Moldova joining the club, the EU Commissioner The expansion will be in the hands of Slovenian Marta Kos.
