This week’s key events presented by Euronews’ editor in chief for EU policy, Jeremy Fleming-Jones.
Key diary dates
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Monday 9 September: Former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi to present his findings on competitiveness.
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Tuesday 10 September: European Court of Justice to deliver judgments in two landmark appeals: an antitrust case related to Google and a state aid case related to taxation of Apple.
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Wednesday 11 September: EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to meet with European Parliament’s conference of presidents, expected to apportion commission portfolios.
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Wednesday 11 September: Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič expected to unveil State of the Energy Union report.
In spotlight
The mist should rise over speculation surrounding which Commission nominee gets which job since Ursula von der Leyen is expected to reveal her portfolios on Wednesday.
A table circulated last week by members of von der Leyen’s own centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) – and revealed by Euronews – suggested the centre-right group will sweep up many of the most sought-after policies in the EU executive – including roles eyed by socialists.
The leak confirmed previous reports that three executive vice presidencies will go to France, Italy, and Spain. The document suggested Spain’s Teresa Ribera would be handed the digital green transition as a portfolio. A subsequent Financial Times report has touted Ribera to replace Margrethe Vestager as Europe’s chief competition enforcer, a job also mooted for Austria’s Magnus Brunner, in order to keep the climate portfolio within the EPP fold.
France’s Thierry Breton is expected to be handed responsibility for Industry and Strategic Autonomy, while Italy’s Raffaele Fitto gets Economy and Post-Pandemic Recovery.
Von der Leyen has already made clear that she will only appoint executive vice presidents in her new executive, clearing away a handful of other vice-presidential roles that exist within the current commission structure.
Any EVP role offered to Raffaele Fitto will be closely scrutinised by the European Parliament, since the right-wing faction that he represents did not support von der Leyen’s presidential bid.
But a good starting point will be to check the roles of those commissioners who fall under any EVP purview he is offered.
For example, if he were to receive a remit for the economy and post-pandemic recovery, it’s possible that other commissioners with more direct responsibility for financial services and cohesion funds might wield more power.
If von der Leyen unveils her chosen configuration this week then attention will immediately turn to the Parliamentary confirmation hearings.
Last week’s leaked document suggested Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s pick, incumbent Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi, is likely to be rejected and could be replaced by another of Orbán’s favourites, Fidesz MEP Enikő Győri.
Policy newsmakers
Gender rebalance
Slovenia’s Tomaž Vesel last week withdrew his bid to join Ursula von der Leyen’s team of European Commissioners, after the Slovenian government came under pressure to nominate a female candidate, according to Slovenian press agency STA. Former MEP and current foreign minister Tanja Fajon is reported to be in the running as a replacement nominee. Romania had previously switched out its original commission nominee, Victor Negrescu, for current MEP and former minister for European funds Roxana Mînzatu, as von der Leyen seeks to ensure greater gender balance among her top officials.
