One week on: reactions to Juncker’s team

The new structure of the Commission, in which Jean-Claude Juncker is grouping commissioners into a pyramid formation under vice-presidents, has been welcomed by some interest groups, but was met with disdain by others. On the whole, industry groups laud the new architecture, while some non-governmental groups (NGOs) are unhappy.

Research

EuroScience, an organisation representing European scientists, welcomed the new Research Commissioner, Carlos Moedas, but called on him to protect Europe’s science base.

Severe cuts in budgets threaten the development of a new generation of young scientists and also the maturing of a cadre of senior scientists to replace those who retire. In the view of Euroscience, this is the case, “Especially in Southern European countries, but in other [countries] as well.”

Like many, the plan to shift the Joint Research Centre (JRC) to the Education portfolio caused consternation. The “rather astonishing decision” to move the JRC “may introduce unnecessary coordination problems,” Euroscience said. “Consolidating responsibilities for research under one Commissioner is the better solution.”

Philippe De Backer, a Belgian member of the European Parliament is looking forward to hearing Moedas’ vision at his parliamentary hearing in two weeks. “He seems like someone who can push things forward,” De Backer said. “His track record shows he’s not afraid to make unpopular decisions either.”

Health

There has been wide support for the appointment of Vytenis Andriukaitis of Lithuania as Commissioner for Health, but concern over the changed scope of the brief.

The decision to move the regulation of pharmaceuticals, drug pricing and medical devices, out of his hands and into the portfolio of the Commissioner for Enterprise, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, was a bad call, said Emma Woodford, Interim Secretary-general of the European Public Health Alliance.

“[Juncker] is returning this industry to an environment that favours profit and secrecy over universal access to medicines and transparency,” she said.

De Backer did not agree. “This is a positive thing, I don’t see any big danger,” he said. “Member states will still be making the big decisions.”

Digital

Juncker made technology one of the priorities of his campaign, saying he wanted to "make better use of the unlimited possibilities offered by digital technology". To deliver on this, he set up two briefs, for Günther Oettinger, Digital Economy and Society, and Andrus Ansip, Digital Single Market.

John Higgins, director of DigitalEurope said, “We are very pleased to see a structure that recognises what we have been saying. Digital is a golden thread that ties so many policy areas together - 12 directorates according to the charts.”

Julia Reda, an MEP representing Germany’s Pirate Party, was unimpressed. “Oettinger hasn’t demonstrated any expertise in the area so far. It is unlikely that he can credibly fill in the footsteps of Neelie Kroes,” she said.

The think tank Bruegel called on Ansip to, “Establish a tough reputation for not tolerating national divergence from the European digital framework.”

Energy

The Spanish commissioner-designate for energy and climate, Miguel Arias Cañete, who has already come under attack for making sexist comments in the past, sold his holdings in two oil companies. “I gave instructions to divest my shares in the energy sector the moment I was nominated Commissioner-designate for Climate Action and Energy, to avoid even the slightest notion of potential conflict of interest", Cañete said.

The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) was happy with the creation of the new Energy Union portfolio, which went to Alenka Bratušek. “The announcement of Vice President-designate Bratušek shows a commitment by the Juncker presidency to make strides toward a single electricity market that places renewable energies, such as wind power, at the heart of European energy security," said EWEA chief executive Thomas Becker.

However, in some quarters, Bratušek’s nomination has been almost as divisive as Cañete’s. High-profile Slovenian politicians, including the country’s current European Commissioner, Janez Potočnik, have criticised her for nominating herself in July, after her Positive Slovenia party was defeated in a general election.

Education

The European Parliament’s socialist (S&D) group, like many in Brussels, is cautious on the appointment of Tibor Navracsics to education, due to his association with the controversial Fidesz party in Hungary.

“The S&D Group will make a decision whether to back Juncker's team based on their agendas and their willingness to promote the fundamental values of the European Union. Tibor Navracsics has been warned,” the Group said in a statement.

“Tibor Navracsics would not make a good EU commissioner,” said Tibor Szanyi, MEP. “The foreign minister is a self-proclaimed nominee who rejects European values.”

Regions

Juncker’s “mission letter” to Corina Creţu, commissioner-designate for Regional policy, sparked some concern among environmental groups because it made no mention of climate change. The regional funds for 2014-2020 have already earmarked climate action and resource efficiency as a key priority.

These details are omitted from her mandate. “I would ask you to pay particular attention to the contribution that the funds under your responsibility can make to establishing a European Energy Union and completing the digital single market,” Juncker wrote.

Mark Fodor, executive director of the campaign group, Central and Eastern Europe Bankwatch, said the letter suggests that Juncker is side-stepping previous commitments. “By missing out the crucial role of EU funding in addressing the climate challenge, the president-elect is showing complete disregard for the future of our planet,” he said.

Environment

The new Commissioner-designate, Karmenu Vella of Malta, will assume responsibility for the twin portfolios of Environment and Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.

An alliance of European environmental NGOs, the “Green 10”, which includes Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and WWF, sent a letter to Juncker saying that his new architecture suggests, “a de-facto shutdown of EU environmental policymaking.”