European Parliament:
Incoming:
Jasenko SELIMOVIC (ALDE, SE) joined the Parliament on Wednesday 30 September, following the resignation of Marit PAULSEN.
Substitutes of the Committees, Subcommittees and the Delegations:
Sander LOONES (ECR, BE) joined the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE).
Ruža TOMAŠIĆ (ECR, HR) left the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE).
Jasenko SELIMOVIC (ALDE, SE) joined the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), the Delegation to the EU-Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee (D-ME) and the Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee (D-UA).
European Commission:
Cabinets:
Phil Hogan’s team: Graham MEADOWS, Michael TREACY and Francisco Xavier MIRANDA DE AVILLEZ joined as new Communication and Implementation of Policy Special Advisers
Directorates General:
Budget (BUDG):
Directorate D - Central Financial Service: Olivier WAELBROECK appointed Director, replacing Jose Antonio LOPEZ SANCHEZ.
Economic and Financial Affairs (ECFIN):
Directorate A - Policy Strategy and Co-ordination: José LEANDRO is the new Director, replacing Elena FLORES GUAL.
Directorate D - International Economic and Financial Relations, Global Governance: Elena FLORES GUAL is the new Director, replacing Anne BUCHER.
Directorate R - Resources and Communication: Linda ROWAN is the new Head of Human resources Unit, replacing John SHEEHY.
Energy (ENER):
Directorate D - Nuclear energy, safety and ITER: Zuzana PETROVICOVA is the new acting Head of Nuclear energy, nuclear waste and decommissioning Unit, replacing Maurizio BOELLA.
International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO):
Anders HENRIKSSON is a new Policy Definition Principal Adviser.
Directorate C - Sustainable Growth and Development: Denis SALORD is the new Head of Thematic Programs intra ACP Unit.
(New) Task Force Knowledge, Performance and Results: Androulla KAMINARA is the Head of the task force and Principal Adviser. Beata LOLECKA is the Head of Knowledge Management Unit. Philippe LOOP is the head of Evaluation Unit. Thierry MATHISSE is the Head of Operational Information Systems Unit. Jan TEN BLOEMENDAL is the Head of Quality and Results Unit.
Mobility and Transport (MOVE): Henrik HOLOLEI became the new Director-General as of 1 October, replacing Fotis KARAMITSOS (acting).
European External Action Service (EEAS):
Christian LEFFLER is the new Economic and global issues Deputy Secretary-General.
General Affairs Directorate: Silvio GONZATO is the new Director. Gabriele VISENTIN became the new acting Head of Parliamentary Affairs Division, replacing Pelayo CASTRO ZUZUARREGUI.
Budget and Administration Directorate-General – Human Resources Directorate: Luc VÉRON became the new Head of Local Agents Unit, replacing Patrick LAURENT. Alison WESTON became the new Head of Rights and Obligations Unit, replacing Diego MELLADO PASCUA.
Human Rights, Global and Multilateral Issues Directorate: Stephan AUER is the new acting Managing Director and holds the position of Director, replacing Maria MARIKANI. Leonello GABRICI is the new Head of Global Issues and Counter-terrorism Division, replacing Daniel GUYADER.
Africa Directorate: Koen VERVAEKE is the new acting Managing Director and holds the position of Director, replacing Nicholas WESTCOTT.
Americas Directorate: Roland SCHÄFER is the new acting Managing Director and holds the position of Director, replacing Christian LEFFLER. Richard TIBBELS is the new Head of US and Canada Division, replacing Fernando ANDRESEN GUIMARÃES.
Asia and Pacific Directorate: Stefan FORESTER is the new acting Head of Pacific Division, replacing Carmen RUIZ SERRANO.
Europe and Central Asia Directorate - Western Europe, Western Balkans and Turkey Department: Angelina EICHHORST is the new Director, replacing Fernando GENTILINI. Claude MAERTEN is the new Head of Western Europe Division, replacing Gianluca GRIPPA. Javier NIÑO PEREZ is the new Head of Turkey Division.
Russia, Eastern Partnership, Central Asia and OSCE Department: Boris IAROCHEVITCH is the new Head of Eastern Partnership, Regional Cooperation and OSCE Division, replacing Richard TIBBELS. Fernando ANDRESEN GUIMARÃES is the new Head of Russia Division, replacing Vincent DEGERT.
Middle East and North Africa Directorate: Nicholas WESTCOTT is the new Managing Director, replacing Hughes MINGARELLI. Gianluca GRIPPA is the new Head of European Neighbourhood Policy Strategy and Instruments Division, replacing Anna MAJORENKO. Patrick COSTELLO is the new Head of Middle East I: Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan Division, replacing Vassilis BONTOSOGLOU. Raúl FUENTES MILANI is the new Head of Middle East II: Israel, Occupied Territories and MEPP Division, replacing Leonello GABRICI.
Structural changes following the adoption of a modified organisational chart, as announced by the High Representative Federica Mogherini in July:
The European Union Military Staff (EUSM) Directorate-General is now directly under the High Representative’s command.
The Security Policy and CSDP Structures was renamed to CSDP and Crisis Response Multilateral Department and incorporates the new Security Policy and Conflict Prevention Directorate, which is comprised by four Divisions. Joëlle JENNY is the Director. Johan GATT-RUTTER is the Head of Disarmament, non-proliferation and arms export control Division. Małgorzata WASILEWSKA is the Head of Conflict prevention, peace building and mediation Division. François RIVASSEAU is the new Head of Security policy and Space policy Division. Francesco FINI is the new Head of Sanctions policy Division.
In the Budget and Administration Directorate-General, the Multilateral Departments Resources A and B merged into the Security, Infrastructure, Budget and IT Directorate. Philippe RUYS became the new (acting) Director of the Directorate, replacing Vincent GUEREND. Jean-Guy HOTTIAUX is the new Head of Secure Communications Unit and Barbara PLINKERT is the new Head of HQ security and EEAS security policy Unit. Peter CAVENDISH is the new Head of Field Security Unit.
European Agencies:
European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA): The Board of Supervisors agreed to extend the term of office of EIOPA's Chairman, Gabriel BERNARDINO for another five years from 2016 to 2021. The term extension is subject to confirmation by the European Parliament.
European Stability Mechanism (ESM):
Board of Directors: Sotia HAJISPYROU became the new Alternate for Cyprus, replacing Marios STEPHANIDES.
European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS):
Data Protection Supervisors: Juliano FRANCO became the new Ombudsman Data Protection Officer, replacing Christina KARAKOSTA. Barbara EGGL is the new European Central Bank Data Protection Officer, replacing Frederik MALFRÈRE. Francesca MARCON is the new European Asylum Support Office Data Protection Officer, replacing Luis CERDÁN ORTIZ-QUINTANA. Silvia POLIDORI is the new European Defence Agency Data Protection Officer, replacing Gabriele BORLA.
General Court:
Members' Order of Precedence: Ian Stewart FORRESTER (UK) took on his role as judge on 1 October for a four-year term, replacing Nicholas FORWOOD.
Missions to the EU:
Bhutan: Sonam TSHONG left his position as Ambassador to the EU. Tenzin RONDEL WANGCHUK will take over Mr TSHONG as Chargé d’Affaires on 25 November.
Norway: Oda Helen SLETNES took up her assignment as Ambassador to the EU on 1 October, replacing Atle LEIKVOLL.
Uruguay: Ruben Walter CANCELA VILANOVA left his position as Ambassador on 30 September. Carlos SGARBI VON STEINMANN is the new acting Chargé d’Affaires.
Public Affairs:
The European Power Exchange EPEX SPOT: together with APX announces the merger of their governance structures. Under this René KERKMEESTER, CEO of APX, and James MATTHYS-DONNADIEU, Chief Operating Officer of APX, stepped down on 1 October 2015 and APX staff is part of EPEX SPOT. The new Management Board of EPEX SPOT is composed of Jean-François CONIL-LACOSTE, Chairman of the Management Board, Thierry MORELLO, Chief Operating Officer and Vice-Chairman of the Board and Jeroen VAN DEN HEUVEL, Chief Financial Officer.
Inuit Seal: was officially set up as a new NGO on 1 October. Initially it was launched as the Inuit seal hunter campaign based in Copenhagen, with the aim to re-establish the market access of Greenlandic sealskin.
News in a nutshell:
Romania: Prime Minister Victor PONTA, PSD (S&D) survived a confidence vote after the National Liberal Party (PNL) (EPP) filed a censure motion.
Portugal: Portuguese voters head to the polls on Sunday 4 October.
Spain: The Prime Minister Mariano RAJOY, People’s Party (EPP) announced on Thursday 1 October that the general elections will be held on 20 December.
European Economic and Social Committee (EESC): The inaugural plenary session for the term of office 2015-2020 will take place from 6 to 8 October.
European Parliament: MEPs are heading to Strasbourg from Monday 5 to Thursday 8 October for the plenary session.
The Committee on Constitutional affairs (AFCO) adopted a report which amends the EU Electoral Act and proposes among others the introduction of the right of vote for the EU citizens living outside the EU, the possibility of electronic and internet voting and voting by post and includes provisions for an obligatory threshold between 3% and 5%. Danuta HÜBNER (EPP, PL) and Jo LEINEN (S&D, DE) are the rapporteurs of the report.
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