Movers and Shakers | 10 December 2021

Today’s Movers & Shakers are about: Two MEPs change political groups, Mercosur Delegation’s new chair, DG GROW’s new directors, Germany’s government, and more!

By Nisa Khan

Nisa Khan is the Editor of Dods People EU and the European Public Affairs Directory (EPAD)

09 Dec 2021

Keep track of developments in the European institutions and public affairs with our Movers and Shakers column.

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European Parliament

MEP News
Dorien Rookmaker (ECR, NL) has joined the European Conservatives and Reformists Group.
Michal Wiezik (RE, SK) has left the European People's Party to join the Renew Europe Group.

Committees and Delegations

Chairs and Vice-chairs
Jordi Cañas (RE, ES) is the new Chair for the Mercosur Delegation (DMER) and Mónica Silvana González (S&D, ES) is the new Vice-chair.
Nathalie Loiseau (RE, FR) has been elected as the Chair for the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (D-UK) with Seán Kelly (EPP, IE) and Ivo Hristov (S&D, BG) as Vice-chairs.

Substitutes
Franc Bogovič (EPP, SI) has joined the Industry, Research and Energy Committee (ITRE) as a substitute.
Irena Joveva (RE, SI) is no longer a substitute on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee (ENVI).

European Commission

Directorates-General and Services

Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (GROW)
Merete Clausen replaces Kamil Kiljanski as Director of Directorate C (Investment) who was covering the role in an acting capacity.
Jakub Boratyński replaces Ulla Engelmann as Director of Directorate D (Networks and Governance) who was covering the role in an acting capacity.

Council of the European Union

General Secretariat
Isabel Riaño has been appointed as the new Director-General for the Competitiveness and Trade (COMPET) while Cesare Onestini has been selected to replace Ángel Boixareu Carrera as the new Director-General for Agriculture, Fisheries, Social Affairs and Health (LIFE). Thomas Westphal will replace Carsten Pillath as the Director-General for Economic and Financial Affairs (ECOFIN). The three Directors-General are due to start their new positions in January and February 2022.

Other EU Institutions and Agencies

European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
Mike Rasenberg replaces Christel Musset as a Director (Hazard Assessment).

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National News

Austria
Karl Nehammer, Minister for the Interior, has been sworn in as the new Chancellor, replacing Alexander Schallenberg who has returned to his previous position as the Minister for European and International Affairs. Gerhard Karner replaces Nehammer as the Minister for the Interior while Magnus Brunner replaces Gernot Blümel as the Minister for Finance. Martin Polaschek is the new Minister for  Education, Science and Research.

Germany
Olaf Scholz is the new Chancellor.

Christian Lindner has replaced Scholz as the Federal Minister for Finance. Robert Habeck replaces Peter Altmaier as the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection. Nancy Faeser replaces Horst Seehofer as the Federal Minister for the Interior and Community. Annalena Baerbock replaces Heiko Maas as the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Marco Buschmann replaces Christine Lambrecht as the Federal Minister for Justice who is now the Federal Minister for Defence, replacing Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. Cem Ozdemir replaces Julia Klöckner as the Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture. Anne Spiegel is the new Federal Minister for Family, Seniors, Women and Youth. Karl Lauterbach replaces Jens Spahn as the Federal Minister for Health. Volker Wissing replaces Andreas Scheuer as the Federal Minister for Transport and Digital Infrastructure.

Steffi Lemke replaces Svenja Schulze as the Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety who takes over Gerd Müller’s role as the Federal Minister for Development. Bettina Stark-Watzinger replaces Anja Karliczek as the Federal Minister for Education and Research.

Klara Geywitz is the new Federal Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Construction. Finally, Wolfgang Schmidt replaces Helge Braun as the Head of the Federal Chancellery and Federal Minister for Special Tasks.


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Read the most recent articles written by Nisa Khan - Movers and Shakers | 1 July 2022