New European commissioners

Friday, 27 November 2009

The energy brief in the European Commission (EC) could pass to Günter Öttinger if his nomination goes through. The directorate for transport and energy is to be split up in the next commission.

 

Günter Öttinger (Image: DerFalkVonFreyburg)

The EC acts as a cabinet government for affairs of the 27-nation union, with commissioners picked by member states and assigned duties by the Commission President - currently José Manuel Barroso, about to start his second term.

 

Barroso announced his 27-member college of commissioners in Brussels today. Hailing from Germany, Öttinger comes from Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union party and has been Minister President of the state of Baden-Württemberg since 2005. He would replace Latvian Andris Piebalgs, who is pencilled in to take over on the development brief, while Janez Potocnik of Slovenia would move from the research portfolio to environment. Previously there was a directorate of Transport and Energy known as DG TREN with a commissioner for each, but a separate directorate for energy is to be created.

 

The prospective new commissioners will be interviewed by a European Parliament committee in mid January.

  

Among EC priorities are to develop Europe-wide competition in energy markets and greater interconnection of electricity and gas networks. Nuclear power from 145 reactors provides about 30% of the bloc's electricity, building new reactors requires justification of the risks and benefits involved to the EC and it rules on matters such as levels of financial compensation for early closure of Soviet-era reactors. Europe also signs treaties on behalf of all member states and sets targets such as the one for a 20% reduction in emissions and 20% of power from renewables by 2020.