Commissioner for Climate Action appointed in new team of European Commissioners
Mon 30 November 2009
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Denmark's Climate and Energy Minister Connie Hedegaard has been appointed to a newly created post as Climate Action Commisioner in the new 27-strong European Commission. There are changes at the Transport, Environment and Trade Commissions in a wide-ranging reshuffle announced by the European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. All the proposed changes have yet to be approved by the European Parliament.
Ms Hedegaard will be responsible for promoting the climate agenda both internally and externally Mr Barroso said.
Meanwhile, Stavros Dimas will be replaced as Environment Commissioner by former Research Commissioner Janez Potonik, a Slovenian, in a scaled-down environment department. In addition to climate and industrial pollution the Environment Commission will lose its biotechnology, pesticides and health unit to the health department and two civil protection units to the humanitarian aid department.
Mr Borroso also confirmed that the transport and energy directorate would be split into two departments, with the pro-nuclear German Günter Oettinger in charge of energy and Siim Kallas from Estonia replacing Antonio Tajani as Transport Commissioner.
The nominations will not be confirmed until they are approved by the European Parliament at hearings in January. (For more details, please follow the associated link.)
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