Last September, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen revealed her team of 26 candidates. Each was nominated to head one of 26 policy portfolios. Before the appointment is finalised, the commissioner-designates must undergo a grilling by the European Parliament.
In anticipation of these hearings, which begin Monday, November 4, ELIAMEP’s researchers have prepared a handbook to guide journalists and politically involved citizens through the process. In this handbook, you will find links to the mission letters sent out by von der Leyen as well as concise summaries of each one. These are sorted by portfolio and include any relevant material published by ELIAMEP. You will also find a complete schedule of the hearings with direct links to the livestreams and the pre-written MEP questions and answers.
Member State Commissioner & Portfolio Mission Overview Parliamentary Hearing livestream and written Q&A (EET time) ELIAMEP Original Content
Teresa Ribera Rodríguez
Executive VP for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition
Circular Economy, European Green Deal, growth strategy and competition policy.
• Clean Industry Deal
• European Climate Law : 90% reduction in emissions by 2040
• Social Climate Fund and Just Transition Fund
November 12.
19.30-22.30
Committees: ENVI, ECON, ITRE
The Green Transformation of Europe (EL/EN)

How should the EU deal with the energy crisis? (EL/EN)

Electricity prices in Greece and the EU (EL/EN)

Total government budget allocation in Greece and the EU (EL/EN)

The Draghi Report and sacrificing the EU’s sacred cows (EL)

Revitalizing Europe: Draghi’s Economic Blueprint and the EU’s Competitive Edge – Marco Buti (EN)

Henna Virkkunen
Origins, goals and effects of EU law and policy on the online music sector
Cybersecurity, tech sovereignty, artificial intelligence, border management tech, EU digital norms and standards, digital public infrastructure.
• 2030 Digital Decade Targets
• AI Strategy – AI Factories Initiative
• European Data Union Strategy
• European Democracy Shield
November 12.
19.30-22.30
Committees: ITRE, IMCO
Origins, goals and effects of EU law and policy on the online music sector (EN)

Habemus papam in artificial intelligence: what it means for Greece (EL)

Stéphane Séjourné
Executive VP for Prospecrity and Industrial Sovereignty
Productivity, innovation, competitiveness, industrial strategy, horizontal single market strategy, R&D
• Clean Industrial Deal
• European Competitiveness Fund
• Competitiveness Coordination Tool
November 12.
15.30-18.30
Committees: ITRE, IMCO, ENVI, ECON
Made in Europe: An EU Green Industrial Plan to respond to the challenge of US and Chinese protectionism (EN)

Leveraging EU industrial policy to reshape Greece’s productive model (EN/EL)

In focus – State aid, unequal distribution of subsidies and fragmentation of the single market (EN/EL)

Online discussion: EU industrial policy 2.0 (EN)

Public event: EU Economic and Industrial Policy in a period of global economic transformation (EL)

Kaja Kallas
High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and VP of the European Commission
Preparation of regular
College of Commissioners’ debates on foreign policy issues
• Strengthening security and defense (Ukraine, European Defence Union, Nato, sanctions)
• Modern and coordinated FP (new foreign economic policy, external financial instruments)
November 12.
10.00-13.00
Committees: AFET
Military aid to Ukraine: the US, the EU and the elections (EL)

European elections 2024: Common European Defence. What does it mean for Greece (EL)

Europe’s Roads – Common Foreign Policy, Security and Defence (EL)

A “Europe of power” and (Greek defence) (EL)

Seeking resources for Europe’s Defence and Security (EL)

The NATO Forum, aid to Ukraine, its impact and Russia’s reaction (EL)

“Europe should seek the creation of a separate pillar within NATO” (EL)

Ukraine: War, Hope, and the Power of Cultural Diplomacy (EN)

Public event: EU Defence and Security in a volatile geopolitical environment (EL)

Europe’s strategic autonomy, NATO, and the security challenges ahead (EL)

Roxana Mînzatu
Executive VP for People, Skills and Preparedness
Training and education, Erasmus+, European Sport Model, Quality Jobs roadmap
• European Pillar of Social Rights  New Pact for European Social Dialogue
• EU Anti-poverty Strategy
• European Affordable Housing Plan
November 12.
15.30-18.30
Committees: EMPL, CULT
In focus – Small and medium-sized enterprises find difficult to find (and retain) skilled workers (EN/EL)

In focus – Housing cost for tenants and owners in the EU (EN/EL)

Raffaele Fitto
Executive VP for Cohesion and Reforms
Productivity, innovation, competitiveness, NextGenerationEU, resilience and sustainability
• Effective right to stay for every citizen
• European Affordable Housing Plan / New European Bauhaus Initiative
• Climate Adaptation Plan
November 12.
10.00-13.00
Committees: REGI
For a geopolitical EU single market (EL)

In focus – Cohesion Policy: Allocation of funding to EU member states (EN/EL)

Cohesion for European Citizens (Co-Europe) (EN/EL)

Public event: In search of a new European vision – Policies to strengthen social cohesion (EL)

Maroš Šefčovič
Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security; Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency 
Competitiveness, security , sustainability, free and fair trade, World Trade Organization, international negotiations, EU and G7, new economic security doctrine
• European Economic Security Strategy
• Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships
• EU Customs Authority
November 4.
15.30-18.30
Committees: INTA, AFCO
Locating the BRICS in the EU’s vision: a case for cooperation over competition (EN/EL)

Assessing the South African and European strategic partnership. Past and contemporary challenges and future areas of cooperation (EN/EL)

Valdis Dombrovskis
Commissioner for Economy and Productivity; Implementation and Simplification
Stability, Growth, NextGenEU, European Semester, competitiveness, digital euro
• Stability and Growth Pact
• Recovery and Resilience Facility
• Competitiveness Coordination Tool
November 7.
15.30-18.30
Committees: ECON, JURI
Stability Pact: How to bridge the gap between North and South (EL)

Stability Pact: looking beyond the numbers (EL)

Dubravka Šuica
Commissioner for Mediterranean
Demography, external aspects of migration policy, security, crime, terrorism, Southern Neighborhood
• New Pact for the Mediterranean
• Trans-Mediterranean Energy and Green Tech Cooperation Initiative
• Reconstruction plan for Gaza
• Gulf Strategy
November 5.
15.30-18.30
Committees: AFET
Energy Transition in the Eastern Mediterranean: Turning the East Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF) into a Regional Opportunity (EN/EL)

Energy security and decarbonisation in the East Med: is it an ‘either/or’ scenario? (EN)

Olivér Várhelyi
Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare
Health and Animal Welfare, European Health Union, modernization of rules on animal welfare, food safety standards
• Critical Medicines Act
• European Biotech Act
• European Health Data Space
November 6.
19.30-22.30
Committees: ENVI, AGRI
Health systems’ post-pandemic plight (EL)
Wopke Hoekstra
Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth
Climate risks, climate diplomacy, security, ecological transition, emissions trading scheme and taxation
• European Climate Law
• Clean Industrial Deal / European Climate Adaptation Plan
• Revision of the Energy Taxation Directive
November 7.
10.00-13.00
Committees: ENVI, ITRE, ECON
T4T Toolkit: Learning about climate change and simulation techniques at school (EN/EL)

Storage networks: the Achilles heel of renewable energy sources expansion (EN/EL)

A web that will concern us (climate change damage) (EL)

What is happening with the European Green Deal? (EL)

Climate crisis and (towards) the European elections (EL)

Harnessing tech for climate action 50% GHG reduction in the maritime industry by 2025 (EN)

Andrius Kubilius
Commissioner for Defence and Space
European Defence Union, space, military mobility, civil-military, EU-NATO strategy
• White Paper on the Future of European Defence
• EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence / EU Space Law
• European Defence Fund / European Defence Industrial Strategy
November 6.
19.30-22.30
Committees: AFET, ITRE
European Union defence policy: objectives and contradictions (EL)

Mapping EU Defence Collaboration – One year on from the Versailles Declaration (EN/EL)

Seeking resources for Europe’s Defence and Security (EL)

Europe’s Roads – Common Foreign Policy, Security and Defence (EL)

European elections 2024: Common European Defence. What does it mean for Greece (EL)

Marta Kos
Commissioner for Enlargement
Enlargement, neighborhood, Ukraine, Turkey, Balkans, Southern Caucasus
• Gradual integration of candidate countries
• Black Sea Strategy
November 7.
10.00-13.00
Committees: AFET
EU Enlargement to the Western Balkans: Where There Is a Will, There Is a Way (EN)

Enlargement On Hold: The Price Europe Pays (EN)

The “challenges” for Enlargement in the new institutional cycle of the EU (EL)

The Geography of European Enlargement (EN)

Jozef Síkela
Commissioner for International Partnerships
Clean trade and investment partnerships
• Team Europe approach
• Global Gateway
November 6.
15.30-18.30
Committees: DEVE
Locating the BRICS in the EU’s vision: a case for cooperation over competition (EL/EN)
Costas Kadis
Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans
Coastal communities, food security, food sovereignty
• Common Fisheries Policy
• EU Ocean Research and Innovation Strategy
• Climate Adaptation Plan
November 6.
15.30-18.30
Committees: PECH
Plastic Pollution in Seas and Oceans: Challenges and Responses (EL/EN)
Maria Luís Albuquerque
Commissioner for Financial Services and the Savings and Investments Union
Financing green, social and digital transition, EU as global leader in sustainable finance
• Banking Union / European Deposit Insurance Scheme
• European Savings and Investments Union
November 6.
10.00-13.00
Committees: ECON
n/a
Hadja Lahbib
Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management; Equality
Civil preparedness, integrated approach on crisis management, international humanitarian law
• EU Preparedness Union Strategy / EU Preparedness Law
• European Civil Defence Mechanism
• Gender Equality Strategy
• Anti-racism Strategy
• LGBTIQ Equality Strategy
• Strategy for the Persons with Disabilities
November 6.
10.00-13.00
Committees: DEVE, FEMM, LIBE, ENVI
Social contracts, attitudes and equality in Western societies (EN)
Magnus Brunner
Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration
Internal security, strong common borders, migration, fight again organized crime, cybercrime, improvements of Schengen framework
• European Internal Security Strategy
• EU Visa-Policy Strategy
• Pact on Migration and Asylum
November 5.
19.30-22.30
Committees: LIBE
European Migration Policy: Recent Developments and the Way Forward (EL/EN)

Europe and Migration: Navigating the Challenges Ahead (EL)

The cost of inaction on migration in the EU (EL)

The multiple aspects of migration (EL)

Jessika Roswall
Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy
European Green Deal, water security and resilience, natural world, bioeconomy, global water leadership
• European Water Resilience Strategy
• Climate Adaptation Plan
• New European Bauhaus
November 5.
19.30-22.30
Committees: ENVI
Hydro Diplomacy: the way to peace (EN)
Piotr Serafin
Commissioner for Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration
Simpler, responsive budget, anti-fraud, modern public administration
• European Competitiveness Fund
• Conditionality Regulation
• European Anti-Fraud Office
November 7.
15.30-18.30
Committees: BUDG, CONT
In focus – EU budget: How is it allocated?(EL/EN)

What poses a threat to the European Union? (EL)

Dan Jørgensen
Commissioner for Energy and Housing
Energy Union, sustainable and affordable housing
• European Affordable Housing Plan
• Clean Industrial Deal
• Electrification Action Plan
November 5.
15.30-18.30
Committees: ITRE, EMPL
In focus – Housing cost for tenants and owners in the EU (EN/ EL)

In focus – Monetary policy and the housing market in the EU (EN/ EL)

In focus – Rents and house prices in Greece and in the EU (EN/ EL)

The challenges of the EU housing market (EL)

From a ‘Generation Own’ to ‘Generation Rent: the importance of housing policy (EN/ EL)

Ekaterina Zaharieva
Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation
Startups, research and development, innovation
• European Innovation Council / European Research Council
• European Innovation Act
• European Research Area
November 5.
10.00-13.00
Committees: ITRE
In focus – Total government budget allocations for R&D in Greece and in the EU (EL/EN)
Michael McGrath
Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, and the Rule of Law
Democracy, Justice and Rule of Law, fairness and integrity, single market
• European Democracy Shield
• Rule of Law Report
• Consumer Agenda 2025-2030
November 5.
10.00-13.00
Committees: LIBE, IMCO, JURI
The Conference on the Future of Europe: A Kaleidoscope of Democracy (EN)

Democracy in Crisis: Insights on the US Elections and their global impact with Ambassador Philippe Étienne (EN)

 “Does democracy need international human rights law?” (EL)

 Europe-Hungary and the Rule of Law: the long road from words to deeds (EL)

Apostolos Tzitzikostas
Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism
Resilient and competitive tourism sector, sustainable transport                                  • Trans-European Transport Corridor
• Single Market for Transport Services
• Comprehensive EU Port Strategy
November 4.
19.30-22.30
Committees: TRAN
The Climate Change Hub organizes a discussion on overtourism as part of the Athens Democracy Forum 2023 (EN/EL)

In focus – Strong recovery of Greek tourism (EN/ EL)

Open discussion: ‘European Pathways of Sustainability, Sustainable Development in Syros.’ (EN/EL)

Christophe Hansen
Commissioner for Agriculture and Food
Food security, rural areas, food sovereignty
• European Water Resilience Strategy
• Vision for Agriculture and Food
November 4.
19.30-22.30
Committees: AGRI
The CAP between a rock and a hard place: its new challenges and uncertain prospects(EL/EN)

In focus – Common Agricultural Policy: how is EU’s expenditure for agriculture allocated? (EL/EN)

Glenn Micallef
Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport
Strategy on Intergenerational Fairness, youth participation, culture compass, European sport diplomacy
• Youth Policy Dialogues
• President’s Youth Advisory Board
• EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child
November 4.
15.30-18.30
Committees: CULT
Fair MusE releases policy brief on fairness in the EU music ecosystem (EN)

Competitiveness in European Law(EN)

“The flow of audiovisual content in the EU: Unraveling the legislative changes”(EN)

Fostering ‘competitiveness’ and ‘cultural diversity’ in the European film and audiovisual sector – REBOOT project(EN)

Young Minds, Democratic Horizons: Paving the Way for the EU’s Promising Future – EUact2(EN)

Publications
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Κωνσταντίνος Τοπουζέλης, Ιφιγένεια Τσακαλογιάννη 25.09.24
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Apostolos Samaras, Evangelia Psychogiopoulou 16.09.24
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Evangelia Psychogiopoulou, Apostolos Samaras 18.07.24
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Jelena Dzankic, Ioannis Armakolas 02.07.24
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Evangelia Psychogiopoulou, Apostolos Samaras 01.04.24
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Chrysa Papalexatou, Manos Matsaganis 14.09.23
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Chrysa Papalexatou, Manos Matsaganis 07.09.23
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Chrysa Papalexatou, Manos Matsaganis 29.06.23
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Chrysa Papalexatou, Manos Matsaganis 08.06.23
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Chrysa Papalexatou, Manos Matsaganis 25.05.23
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Emmanuella Doussis, Lydia Avrami 03.02.23
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George Pagoulatos, Spyros Blavoukos 20.01.23
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Chrysa Papalexatou, Manos Matsaganis 21.10.22
News & Media
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Απογευματινή A web that will concern us
Othon Kaminiaris 13.10.24
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Emmanuella Doussis 29.09.24
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Οικονομικός Ταχυδρόμος Habemus papam in artificial intelligence: what it means for Greece
Mihalis Kritikos 30.07.24
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Triantafyllos Karatrantos 15.07.24
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Chrysa Papalexatou 19.01.23
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Multimedia
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Eugenia Vella, Odin Linardatou 24.07.24
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Panayotis Tsakonas, Odin Linardatou 20.06.24
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Angeliki Dimitriadi, Odin Linardatou 30.11.23
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Angeliki Dimitriadi, Odin Linardatou 22.06.23
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Fadi Comair, Odin Linardatou 02.02.23
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George Pagoulatos, Odin Linardatou 19.01.23
Events
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Public event: EU Defence and Security in a volatile geopolitical environment 30.05.24
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Public event: In search of a new European vision – Policies to strengthen social cohesion 14.05.24
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Spyros Blavoukos, Savvas Papadopoulos 24.04.24
Projects
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