27 November 2009 - 13H19  
- European Commission

France's Barnier secures key EU Commission job
Former French foreign minister Michel Barnier (pictured) was named on Friday to oversee the EU's internal market and have responsibility for financial services, while Finland's Olli Rehn will be head of economic and monetary affairs.
By FRANCE 24 (with wires) (text)
 

Former French foreign minister Michel Barnier will take charge of the European Union's internal market and have responsibility for financial services, European Commission sources said on Friday.

They said Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the executive European Commission, would name Barnier as part of the 27-person leadership team which will try to revive Europe's economy and increase the EU's global influence.

Key players in the second Barroso Commission
French Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier, a former commissioner for regional policy, obtains the strategic internal market post. Despite stiff opposition from the UK, his portfolio includes oversight of financial services.© AFP
Britain’s Labour peer Catherine Ashton is named High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security. Currently trade commissioner, her nomination remains controversial due to her lack of diplomatic experience.All rights reserved
Finland’s Olli Rehn, formerly commissioner for enlargement, takes up the highly visible post of economic and monetary affairs commissioner. He faces the daunting task of monitoring EU countries' budget deficits, which have exploded with the financial crisis. © European Communities, 2009
Spain’s Joaquin Almunia, up until now in charge of economic and monetary affairs, obtains the competition portfolio, formerly held by the Netherlands’ Neelie Kroes. Like his predecessor, Almunia will surely have much arm-wrestling to do with European businesses and governments. © European Communities, 2009
Denmark’s Connie Hedegaard gets the brand new job of climate commissioner. Plucked from the Danish government, where she was environment minister, this member of the moderate wing of the Danish conservative party was highly implicated in preparations for the upcoming Copenhagen conference.© European Communities, 2009
Belgium’s Karel De Gucht, currently development commissioner and a former foreign minister of his country, obtains the prestigious trade portfolio. This is a fresh diplomatic success for Belgium, just over a week after the nomination of Herman Van Rompuy as full-time EU president. © European Communities, 2009
Germany’s Günter Öttinger gets the strategic job of energy commissioner. A newcomer to the Commission, he is a conservative. © European Communities, 2009

    Barroso named Finland's Olli Rehn as the European Union's economic and monetary affairs chief, a role in which he will oversee efforts to revive Europe's economy.
     
    Rehn takes over from Spaniard Joaquin Almunia, who will become competition commissioner in the 27-country bloc's executive.

     

    Comments

    Post new comment

    To prevent automated spam submissions leave this field empty.

    Related Content

    EUROPE - latest news report on Europe, European politics, society, culture, business, institutions, EEC, EU
    UK - CHINA
    Supreme Court confirms death penalty for Briton, execution imminent
    China's supreme court has upheld the decision to execute a British citizen caught smuggling heroin into the country, despite international calls for clemency and his family's claim that he is mentally unstable and was tricked into trafficking drugs.
    Close