Welcome to Better Europe’s weekly update on EU Affairs.
NEW COLLEGE OF COMMISSIONERS PREPARES FOR THE GRILL
A week later than planned, European Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen presented her team and their respective portfolios. Von der Leyen designated six Executive Vice-Presidents, four women and two men, potentially to reduce criticism on the lack of gender balance in the full college. The six Vice-President also seem to be more balanced than the overall college in terms of party affiliations, with two Socialists and Democrats, two liberals, one EPP and one European Conservatives and Reformists Vice-President. Due to changes in titles and roles, confusions and questions are bound to arise on the practical arrangements for certain Commissioners-designate. How will Belgium’s Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner-designate for Preparedness and Crisis Management and Equality, divide her time between floods in Central Europe, wildfires in the South, potential EU-wide pandemics, and women’s and LGBTQ+ rights? The new team will first be checked by the JURI Committee on potential conflicts of interests, with some candidates facing some tough questions. After that, Parliament’s Committees will be grilling the Commissioners-designate on their individual portfolios – the BBQ season is likely to start mid-October, but could run well into November.
THE NEW GREEN TEAM’S OVERLAPPING PORTFOLIOS: A RECIPE FOR TERRITORIAL INFIGHTING?
The EU’s new green team of commissioners strikes a careful balance between left and right, optimism and pragmatism. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has appointed Spain’s Teresa Ribera (S&D) as Executive Vice-President, overseeing the powerful clean, fair and competitiveness portfolio. Dutchman Wopke Hoekstra (EPP, climate), Dane Dan Jørgensen (S&D, energy) and Jessika Rosawall (EPP, Environment) will serve under her. Ribera, a strong advocate of linking climate action with social justice, will ensure that Europe stays on track with its Green Deal targets. Hoekstra will take the helm to implement the climate initiatives of the last five years, while managing climate diplomacy and taxation. Rosawall’s portfolio will include water resilience, environment and circular economy. Meanwhile, Jørgensen will tackle energy prices, the push for clean energy investment and, notably, become the EU’s first ever housing commissioner. While Ribera’s vision is transformative, the presence of centre-right politicians like Hoekstra and Roswall could mean a narrower focus on green goals without the accompanying social upheaval. Known for his ambitious yet pragmatic approach, Jørgensen, adds an interesting dynamic to the team. Asked how decisions would be taken by Commissioners with overlapping and blurred portfolios, Ursula von der Leyen replied that “the main answer is coordination”. As the European Parliament prepares for tough hearings from 4 to 8 November, the question is how the quartet will respond to this balancing act.
DEBATE INTENSIFIES OVER EU DEFORESTATION REGULATION’S COMPLIANCE CHALLENGES
As the EU Deforestation Regulation approaches its implementation date of 30 December 2024, pushback from stakeholders is increasing. In a recent letter to the Commission, 17 countries including Indonesia and Brazil expressed concerns that the regulation could inadvertently exclude small-scale farmers from EU markets — not due to deforestation practices, but because of vague compliance criteria and significant data management burdens. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and several agricultural ministers have also called for a delay, citing impractical obligations that could harm trade and disrupt supply chains. While EPP MEPs Peter Liese and Herbert Dorfmann are concerned about the impact on EU farmers dependent on cheap soy and other products from outside the EU, Fairtrade International emphasizes the need for clearer definitions and financial support to help producers meet the regulation’s demands. In contrast, environmental NGOs such as the Rainforest Alliance continue supporting immediate application of the EUDR, urging stakeholders to prioritize compliance over seeking delays. While this debate highlights the tension between urgent environmental action and the practical challenges faced by economic actors in global supply chains, it also clearly underscores the Commission’s failure to develop the Guidance on time and provide legal certainty on the EUDR’s country benchmarking system, ultimately jeopardizing the success of the regulation.