European Parliament
Members of the Committees, Subcommittees and the Delegations:
Marco VALLI (EFDD, IT) left the Committee on Budgets (CONT).
Substitutes of the Committees, Subcommittees and the Delegations:
Jean-Marie CAVADA (ALDE, FR) left the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) and joined the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL).
Hannu TAKKULA (ALDE, FI) joined the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT).
Barbara KAPPEL (ENF, AT) joined the Delegation for relations with the Arab Peninsula (D-ARP) and the Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia (D-SAS).
Aymeric CHAUPRADE (ENF, FR) joined the Delegation for relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo (D-SEE).
Bernard MONOT (ENF, FR) joined the Delegation to the Cariforum — EU Parliamentary Committee (D-CAR).
Matteo SALVINI (ENF, IT) joined the Delegation for relations with the countries of Central America (D-CAM).
Political groups:
Juan Fernando LÓPEZ AGUILAR (ES) switched from independent to S&D member.
Anders Primdahl VISTISEN (DK) switched from member of ECR to member of the Bureau.
National parties:
Nikolaos CHOUNTIS (GUE/NGL, EL) defected from Syriza.
Laurenţiu REBEGA (ENL, RO), who recently defected from the S&D, left the Conservative party and became independent.
European Commission:
Cabinets:
Corina CRETU's team: Daniela Angela BERINDE joined as a member, replacing Dragoş BUCURENCI.
Directorates General:
The Directors-General reshuffle took effect on 1 September. All changes can be found here:
Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) – Directorate C: Eric WILLEMS became the new acting Head of Arable crops Unit, replacing Jean-Jacques JAFFRELOT.
Communications Networks Content and Technology (CNECT): Juha HALONEN became the new acting Head of Internal Audit Unit, replacing Fernando SENDRA PALMER.
Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union (FISMA) - Directorate C: Maria Teresa FABREGAS FERNANDEZ became Head of Financial Markets Infrastructure Unit, replacing Jennifer ROBERTSON. Tilman LUDER became Head of Securities Markets Unit, replacing Maria Teresa FABREGAS FERNANDEZ. Sven GENTNER became the new acting Head of Asset management Unit, replacing Tilman LUDER.
International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO) – Directorate H: Jobst VON KIRCHMANN became the new Head of Geographical Coordination Central Asia, Middle East/Gulf, Asia Regional Programmes Unit, replacing Jean-Claude BOIDIN.
Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (NEAR): Katarína MATHERNOVÁ is the new Deputy Director-General.
Publications Office (OP) – Directorate A: Roberto PAPPALARDO became now Head of Enterprise Architecture, Methods and Formats Unit, replacing Claude SCHMIT. Luca PEREGO became the new acting Head of IT Projects Unit, replacing Roberto PAPPALARDO.
Spokesperson's Service:
Taxation and customs: Patrick MC CULLOUGH became the new Press Officer, replacing Johannes BAHRKE.
Representations in Member States:
Netherlands: Peter BEKX became the new Head of Representation, replacing Andy KLOM.
Finland: Sari ARTJOKI is the new Head of Representation.
Austria: Jörg WOJAHN became the new Head of Representation, replacing Johann SOLLGRUBER.
European External Action Service (EEAS):
On 31 August Federica MOGHERINI announced a further 19 senior appointments to the EU Delegations following the previous 16 on 28 July. All changes will be communicated in due time.
Committee of the Regions (CoR):
Members:
María Dolores DE COSPEDAL GARCIA (EPP, ES), Alberto GARRE LÓPEZ (EPP, ES), José Antonio MONAGO TERRAZA (EPP, ES) and Pedro SANZ ALONSO (EPP, ES) left their positions.
Alternates:
Rolf SALLRYD (EPP, SE), Fernando MARTÍNEZ-MAILLO TORIBIO (EPP, ES), Esteban MAS PORTELL (EPP, ES) and Lotte CEDERSKJOLD ENGSIG-KARUP (PES, DK) left their positions.
Rapporteurs:
Catiusca MARINI (PES, IT) appointed rapporteur on “indicators of territorial development: GDP and beyond.
Secretariat-General has been re-organised as bellow:
Directorate A – Administration and Finance became Members and Plenaries: Pedro CERVILLA is the new Director. Pierre-Alexis FERAL is the new Head of Services to members and eCoR Unit. Caroline BOUQUEREL is the new Head of Statutory bodies and meeting Unit. Juan Carlos CAÑOTO ARGÜELLES is the new Head of Legal affairs Unit.
Directorate B – Members' Services and Registry became Legislative Work 1: Laurent THIEULE is the new Director and Michael COLLINS is the new Deputy Director. Christof KIENEL is the new Head of NAT Unit. Elisa GAROSI is the new Head of ENVE Unit. Silke TÖNSHOFF is the new Head of CIVEX Unit.
Directorate C – Consultative Works became Legislative Work 2: Thomas WOBBEN is the new Director and Béatrice TAULEGNE is the new Deputy Director. Marie-Claire NEILL-COWPER is the Head of COTER and BUDG (including European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation Platform) Unit. Bert KUBY is the new Head of ECON (including Europe 2020) Unit. Kyriakos TSIRIMIAGOS is the new Head of SEDEC Unit.
Directorate D – Communication, Press, Events became Communication: Jiři BURIÁNEK, Secretary-General, is the new acting Director. Wolfgang PETZOLD is the new Head of Events Unit and acting Deputy Director. Serafino NARDI is the new Head of Press officers and relations with media Unit.
Directorate E – Horizontal Policies and Networks became Human Resources and Finance: Agnieszka KUDLINSKA is the new Director and Reinhold GNAN is the new Deputy Director. Peder JAKOBSSON is the new Head of Budget and Finance Unit. Claudine KESTELOOT is the new Head of Recruitment and career Unit. Tom HAENEBALCKE is the new Head of Working conditions Unit. Sybren SINGELSMA is the new Head of General Administration and public procurement Unit.
European Economic and Social Committee (EESC):
Secretariat-General – Directorate D: Alun JONES is the new Head of Press Unit.
European Ombudsman:
Beate GMINDER officially took up her duties as Secretary-General on 1 September, replacing Ian HARDEN.
European Court of Auditors:
Bettina JAKOBSEN (DK) took up her duties as member on 1 September for a three year term.
Public affairs:
PlasticsEurope: Leonor GARCIA appointed as Director of Public affairs as of 1 September.
European man-made fibres industry (CIRFS): Ali AKDAĞ appointed as the new Head of the Technical and Environmental Department. He will take on his full responsibilities 1 October.
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): Ramiro ZACARÍAS appointed as Global Director for Human Resources.
The European Olympic Committees, EU Office (EOC): Florence LEFEBVRE RANGEON left her position as Policy Officer to join the European Regional Office of the World Anti-Dopping Agency in Lausanne, Switzerland. Valentin CAPELLI will replace her.
News in a nutshell:
Plenary session: MEPs are heading to Strasbourg from Monday 7 to Thursday 10 September.
Member States:
Greece: Prime Minister Alexis TSIPRAS, Syriza (GUE/NGL) called snap elections on 20 September. A caretaker government was appointed to lead the country to the elections. The President of the Supreme Court, Vassiliki THANOU, Independent was appointed as interim Prime Minister and the ex-Chief bailout negotiator, Giorgos CHOULIARAKIS, Syriza (GUE/NGL) as Minister for Finance. Ex-Minister of energy of Syriza, Panagiotis LAFAZANIS defected and created a new political party, the Popular Unity.
France: François REBSAMEN, PS (S&D) resigned as Minister for Labour, Employment and Industry to become Mayor of Dijon. Myriam EL KHOMRI, PS (S&D), prior Secretary of State for cities took over from him on 2 September.
MEP Jean-Marie LE PEN (NI) has been expelled from the National Front (ENF).
Denmark: Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Venstre (ALDE) announced that an EU referendum will be held on 3 December on the opt-out on EU justice and home affairs with an 'opt-in' model that would adopt 22 pieces of legislation if passed. Read more
United Kingdom: Prime Minister David Cameron, Conservative party (ECR) accepted the Electoral Commission advice and the question will now offer voters a Remain/Leave choice, rather than Yes/No.
MEP Glenis WILLMOTT was awarded a DBE title in the dissolution honours.
Candidate member states:
Turkey: President Tayyip ERDOGAN, AKP (AECR) announced a snap election on 1 November after the collapse of coalition-building bid of Prime Minister Ahmet DAVUTOĞLU, AKP. An interim government was formed under the latter the composition of which is: AKP: 11, Republican People's Party (CHP): 5 Nationalist Movement Party (MHP): 1 and the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic (HDP): 2.
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