Apostolos Tzitzikostas will be in charge of transport, tourism and Europe's car industry

Ms von der Leyen announced that the Commission’s first initiative will be a competitiveness compass, to close Europe’s innovation gap with the US and China, to increase security and independence and to deliver on decarbonisation. On the European Green Deal, she said, “we must and we will stay the course on its goals”. She committed to presenting a clean industrial deal, launch a strategic dialogue on the future of Europe’s car industry, continue working on a competitive circular economy, and work towards a European savings and investment union.

On the ongoing wars in Ukraine, the Middle East and parts of Africa, Ms von der Leyen said that “Europe must play a stronger role in all of these areas”, stressing that it is “needed more than ever”. Strengthening our security is crucial, she said, calling on Europe to spend more on defence. “Europe’s security will always be this Commission’s priority,” she added.

In the subsequent debate, some MEPs stressed the need for the new Commission to begin addressing the challenges Europe is facing quickly. They called on the Commission to improve European competitiveness in the light of intensifying global competition, to implement the European Green Deal, to ensure energy independence, and to build a defence union in response to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Others signalled their disapproval of the new College of Commissioners.

VDL's NEW college of European Commissioners
Teresa Ribera Rodríguez
Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition

Henna Virkkunen
Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy

Stéphane Séjourné
Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy

Kaja Kallas
High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission

Roxana Mînzatu
Executive Vice-President for People, Skills and Preparedness

Raffaele Fitto
Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms

Maroš Šefčovič
Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security; Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency

Valdis Dombrovskis
Commissioner for Economy and Productivity; Implementation and Simplification

Dubravka Šuica
Commissioner for Mediterranean

Olivér Várhelyi
Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare

Wopke Hoekstra
Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth

Andrius Kubilius
Commissioner for Defence and Space

Marta Kos
Commissioner for Enlargement

Jozef Síkela
Commissioner for International Partnerships

Costas Kadis
Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans

Maria Luís Albuquerque
Commissioner for Financial Services and the Savings and Investments Union

Hadja Lahbib
Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management; Equality

Magnus Brunner
Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration

Jessika Roswall
Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy

Piotr Serafin
Commissioner for Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration

Dan Jørgensen
Commissioner for Energy and Housing

Ekaterina Zaharieva
Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation

Michael McGrath
Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, and the Rule of Law

Apostolos Tzitzikostas
Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism

Christophe Hansen
Commissioner for Agriculture and Food

Glenn Micallef
Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport

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