EU@UNGA74 on Tuesday

This morning First Vice-President Frans Timmermans and High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini will join President of the European Council Donald Tusk at the opening of the General Debate of the 74^th UN General Assembly in New York. In the afternoon, First Vice-President Frans Timmermans, together with Commissioner Neven Mimica, will represent the EU at the UN Summit on Sustainable Development Goals after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda in 2015. The First Vice-President will deliver a speech between 16:00 – 17:00 local time, 22:00 – 23:00 CET. During the day, EU representatives will attend a series of high-level events and bilateral meetings. The High Representative/Vice-President will meet with permanent and non-permanent EU Member States present at the UN Security Council for a breakfast meeting (07:30 local time, 13:30 CET). Together with Commissioner Christos Stylianides she will host a new edition of the traditional side event on Syria, showcasing the EU’s commitment to finding a political solution in Syria and address its regional challenges (13:30 local time, 19:30 CET). As highlighted in the latest tracking report published on Monday, the EU has already contributed 92% of the pledges made for funding in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria for 2019. In the margins of the UN Summit on the SDGs, Commissioner Neven Mimica will hold a press conference together with representatives of the ACP countries on the Joint ACP-EU Declaration on the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda (UN Press Briefing room, 14:00 local time – 20:00 CET). Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis will participate in the 2019 Champions Strategy Meeting Breakfast on Food waste. Commissioner Karmenu Vella will participate in two Ocean events: the Ocean, Freshwater and Marine Ecosystem Hub event (09:00 local time, 15:00 CET) and the high-level event The Oceans in a changing climate (16:00 local time, 22:00 CET). He will also take part in the Champions for Nature meeting organised by the World Economic Forum (11:00 local time, 17:00 CET). This continues to showcase the EU’s commitment as also demonstrated on Monday at the UN Climate Summit and its margins, where Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete met with China’s Special Representative on Climate Change Xie Zhenhua to underline the joint commitment to implement the Paris Agreement and the Montreal protocol (see the full readout of the meeting here). Later in the evening on Tuesday, First Vice-President Timmermans, High Representative/Vice-President Mogherini and Commissioners present in New York will attend the traditional EU Reception. Audio-visual coverage of all these engagements will be available on EbS. (For more information: Maja Kocijancic – Tel.: +32 2298 86570; Xavier Cifre Quatresols – Tel.: +32 229 73582)

The International Contact Group on Venezuela meets in New York

The International Contact Group on Venezuela held a ministerial meeting in the margins of the 74^th session of the UN General Assembly on Monday, welcoming Panama for the first time as a new member. At its 4^th meeting the Group reviewed the latest developments in Venezuela and its effects in the region and agreed to continue its outreach to all international actors to help Venezuelans restore democracy and constitutional order. At the meeting, the EU announced that it will hold a Solidarity Conference with the Venezuelan refugees and migrants on 28-29 October in Brussels. The conference, organised together with the UN Refugee Agency and the International Organisation for Migration, will aim at raising awareness about the crisis, reaffirming political support and calling for increased assistance of the international community. For more information, read the opening remarks by the High Representative/Vice-President and the joint declaration by the International Contact Group on Venezuela. The High Representative/Vice-President Mogherini and Commissioner Christos Stylianides will continue showcasing the EU’s support in the region at a meeting on the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela and its impact on the region organised by Canada, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru in the margins of the UN General Assembly (11:00 local time, 17:00 CET). For more information on the EU’s work for a political solution to the crisis in Venezuela, see here. (For more information: Maja Kocijancic – Tel.: +32 229 86570; Christina Wunder – Tel.: +32 229 92256;  Xavier Cifre Quatresols – Tel.: +32 229 73582)

L’Union européenne soutient les victimes de violences sexuelles dans les conflits

Le commissaire en charge de la coopération internationale et du développement, Neven Mimica, a annoncé aujourd’hui une contribution de deux millions d’euros de l’Union européenne au Fonds international pour les victimes de violences sexuelles en situation de conflits. L’annonce a lieu en marge de l’Assemblée générale des Nations Unies à New York, où le commissaire Mimica rencontre Dr Denis Mukwege, lauréat du Prix Nobel de la paix. Le commissaire Mimica a déclaré: «La violence à l’égard des femmes et des filles est l’une des plus graves violations des droits de l’homme, qui entraîne des coûts énormes pour les individus et la société. En contribuant aujourd’hui à ce fonds à hauteur de deux millions d’euros, nous souhaitons tendre la main aux femmes qui ont subi la douleur indescriptible des violences sexuelles dans des situations de guerre et de conflit, et leur fournir le soutien dont elles ont besoin pour reconstruire leur vie.” Le fonds se fonde sur l’engagement des Nations Unies, sur le travail des lauréats du Prix Nobel de la paix, Dr Denis Mukwege et Nadia Murad, ainsi que sur les témoignages des survivantes de violences sexuelles liées aux conflits dans le monde. Il s’agit d’une collaboration novatrice entre de multiples partenaires visant à fournir aux victimes un accès à des réparations et à les aider à se réinsérer dans leurs communautés. Le lancement officiel du Fonds devrait avoir lieu le 30 octobre aux Nations Unies à New York. Le communiqué de presse complet est disponible ici. (Pour plus d’informations: Carlos Martin Ruiz De Gordejuela – Tél.: +32 229 665322; Christina Wunder – Tél.: +32 229 92256)

New Commission report on the impact of digitisation on the world of work in the EU

Today the Commission’s science and knowledge hub, the Joint Research Centre, launched its latest report, ‘The changing nature of work and skills in the digital age’. The report offers an evidence-based analysis of the impact of technology on labour markets and the need to adapt education policies to boost digital skills. Tibor Navracsics, Commissioner for Education, Youth, Culture and Sport, responsible for the Joint Research Centre, said: “Work and skills requirements are evolving rapidly as a result of technological progress, creating pressing policy challenges for the EU. Robust evidence is the first step to design future-proof policies that ensure everyone can use new technologies in a confident, creative and safe way. Today’s report contributes to informing important initiatives I have launched over the past five years such as the Digital Education Action Plan and the European Education Area.” Marianne Thyssen, Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility added: “Technology changes labour markets by creating new forms of work. Intel on how this will affect workers is crucial to make sure that workers are equipped with the right skills on the one hand, and continue to be protected on the other. During my mandate I have worked hard to promote skills development, to guarantee access to social protection for all and to make sure all workers get predictable and transparent working conditions. We need to continue building on these achievements to ensure our labour and social policies are fit for purpose in the 21^st century labour market.” The EU is responding to the challenge by prioritising education and Europe’s social dimension as reflected among others by the European Pillar of Social Rightsthat was proclaimed in November 2017 by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission. In 2018, the Commission launched its Digital Education Action Plan, a key part of the European Education Area. The EU has also been rolling out concrete initiatives that help people thrive in a digital world, including the Skills Agenda for Europe, new EU rules on transparent and predictable working conditions and a Council Recommendation on access to social protection. Finally, as part of the future long-term EU budget (2021-2027), the European Commission has proposed a €9.2 billion Digital Europe Programme to respond to the arising digital challenges. More information on today’s report is available online. (For more information: Nathalie Vandystadt – Tel. +32 229 67 083; Christian Wigand – Tel.: +32 229 62253)

#OperationSharkBait: witness a real life rescue mission at sea with Galileo

Journalists are invited to join #OperationSharkBait, a live demonstration of the Galileo Search and Rescue Service, on 26 September in Oostende, on the Belgian coast. The Galileo Search and Rescue Service provides increased location accuracy from 10 km to less than 2 km in rescue operations around the world, coordinated by the international rescue programme Cospas-Sarsat. It has reduced the time it takes to detect a person equipped with a distress beacon to less than 10 minutes at sea, in mountains or deserts. In the future, the system will also confirm to the person that help is on the way. As part of “Shark Bait”, social media influencer Tara Foster (@Taraustralis) will be left alone on a life raft at sea, equipped only with a distress beacon. By activating this beacon, Galileo satellites will determine her position quickly and accurately. This will trigger a rescue operation featuring a rescue boat and a helicopter to save her, coordinated by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre of Oostende. Elżbieta Bieńkowska, Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, said: “In rescue operations, every minute matters. Galileo, our European satellite system, has reduced the time it takes to localise a person in distress and save her. You will have the chance to see it for yourself in Oostende, thanks to Operation Shark Bait!” The Commission will organise a press trip for journalists who wish to follow the event from the Operational Centre of the Belgian Maritime Rescue, weather permitting. To register or get more information, you can write to sophie.dupin-de-saint-cyr@ec.europa.eu. #OperationSharkBait will also be livestreamed on EbS. Galileo, Europe’s satellite navigation system, provides so-called ‘initial services’ since December 2016, which already improve everyday life for citizens and businesses with accurate positioning, navigation and timing signals. It has reached more than 1 billion smartphone users worldwide. (For more information: Lucía Caudet – Tel. +32 229 56182; Sophie Dupin de Saint-Cyr – Tel.: +32 229 56169)

Commission’s report shows good performance of EU interoperability programme for public administrations, businesses and citizens

The Commission published yesterday a report outlining that the ISA² Programme (i.e. Interoperability solutions for public administrations, businesses and citizens) is well on track. Running from 1 January 2016 until 31 December 2020, the ISA² Programme supports the development of digital solutions that enable public administrations, businesses and citizens in Europe to benefit from interoperable cross-border and cross-sector public services. This is also the main instrument to support the implementation of the European Interoperability Framework and to meet the objectives of the eGovernment Action Plan 2016-2020. The interim evaluation confirms that the implementation of ISA² is well-aligned to relevant EU initiatives such as the Connecting Europe Facility and the Structural Reform Support Programme and the overall EU policy framework related to the digitalisation of EU public administrations. Stakeholders using ISA² agree that the programme plays a central role in improving the interoperability landscape in the EU and complements and supports the efforts of European public administrations to foster the digitisation of the publicsector in Europe. Next steps of the programme will include more awareness raising and advisory efforts in regional and local administrations, improving the quality of existing solutions through a user-driven approach and ensuring that the results achieved by the programme are sustainable. After the conclusion of the ISA² programme in 2020, the Commission will continue to pursue these objectives under the proposed Digital Europe programme for 2021-2027, which will shape and support the digital transformation of Europe’s society and economy. More information on the ISA² interim evaluation can be found here. The full report is available here. (For more information: Nathalie Vandystadt – Tel. +32 229 67083; Marietta Grammenou – Tel. +32 229 83583)

Concentrations : La Commission autorise l’acquisition de Staci par Ardian

La Commission Européenne a approuvé, en vertu du règlement européen sur les concentrations, l’acquisition du groupe Staci par la société Ardian, tous deux basés en France. Staci est un groupe actif dans le secteur de la logistique dans plusieurs pays européens et aux Etats-Unis. Ardian est une société d’investissement privé indépendante gérant des actifs en Europe, en Amérique du Nord et en Asie. La Commission a conclu que la concentration envisagée ne soulèverait pas de problème de concurrence, dans la mesure où les deux entreprises ne sont pas actives sur le même marché ou sur des marchés liés ou complémentaires. La transaction a été examinée dans le cadre de la procédure simplifiée de contrôle des concentrations. De plus amples informations sont disponibles sur le site internet concurrence de la Commission, dans le registre public des affaires sous le numéro d’affaire M.9496. (Pour plus d’informations: Lucía Caudet – Tél. +32 229 56182; Maria Tsoni – Tél.: +32 229 90526)

Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of ADCO by Apax Partners

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of ADCO Umweltdienste Holding GmbH (ADCO) of Germany by Apax Partners LPP of the UK.  ADCO is primarily active in the manufacturing, sale and rental of mobile sanitary facilities mainly in Germany. Apax Partners is the parent company of a number of entities providing investment advisory services to private equity funds in a range of sectors at global level. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns, because the overlap between ADCO and Apax Partners’ activities, as well as their market shares, are limited. The transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure. More information is available on the Commission’s competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.9513. (For more information: Lucía Caudet – Tel. +32 229 56182; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of the joint control of FC and CarMob by VWFS and TUV SUD AS

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of FleetCompany GmbH (“FC”) and Carmobility GmbH (“CarMob”) by Volkswagen Financial Services AG (“VWFS”) and TÜV SÜD Auto Service GmbH (“TUV SUD AS”), all based in Germany. FC and CarMob are both brand-neutral providers of fleet management services to corporate customers. FC is active in more than 50 countries whereas CarMob is only active in Germany. VWFS is a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of Volkswagen offering dealers and customers financing, leasing, bank and insurance business services, as well as mobility solutions. As part of its mobility solutions, before the concentration, it provided fleet management solutions exclusively through its wholly-owned subsidiary CarMob. TUV SUD AS is a provider of inspection and product certification services. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns, because it will have a limited impact on competition both at European level and in Germany. The transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure. More information is available on the Commission’s competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.9490. (For more information: Lucía Caudet – Tel. +32 229 56182; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

STATEMENTS

Statement by Commissioner Margrethe Vestager following today’s Court judgments on two tax State aid cases (Fiat in Luxembourg and Starbucks in the Netherlands)

“All companies, big and small, should pay their fair share of tax. If Member States give certain multinational companies tax advantages not available to their rivals, this harms fair competition in the EU. It deprives the public purse and EU taxpayers of much needed funds to fight climate change, to build infrastructure, to invest in innovation. Today’s judgments give important guidance on the application of EU State aid rules in the area of taxation. At the same time, each case has its specificities and involves complex legal questions. We will study the judgments carefully before deciding on possible next steps. The judgments confirm that, while Member States have exclusive competence in determining their laws concerning direct taxation, they must do so in respect of EU law, including State aid rules. Furthermore, the General Court has also confirmed the Commission’s approach to assess whether a measure is selective and if transactions between group companies give rise to an advantage under EU State aid rules based on the so-called “arm’s length principle”. The Commission will continue to look at aggressive tax planning measures under EU State aid rules to assess if they result in illegal State aid. At the same time, the ultimate goal that all companies pay their fair share of tax can only be achieved by a combination of efforts to make legislative changes, enforce State aid rules and a change in corporate philosophies. We have made a lot of progress already at national, European and global levels, and we need to continue to work together to succeed.” The full statement is available online. (For more information: Lucía Caudet – Tel. +32 229 56182; Giulia Astuti – Tel.: +32 229 55344)

Upcoming events of the European Commission (ex-Top News)

Today, Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica is announcing a €2 million contribution by the European Union to the International Fund for Survivors of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence. The announcement takes place in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where Commissioner Mimica is meeting with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr Denis Mukwege.

Commissioner Neven Mimica said: “Violence against women and girls is one of the gravest violations of human rights. It comes with tremendous costs to individuals, as well as to society. By contributing €2 million to this Fund today, we want to reach out to women who had to go through the unspeakable pain of sexual violence in situations of war and conflict – and provide them with the support they need to rebuild their lives.”

The Fund is built upon the commitments of the United Nations, the work of Nobel Peace Prize laureates Dr Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad, as well as the voices of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence worldwide. It is an innovative collaboration between multiple partners to provide survivors of conflict-related sexual violence with access to reparations and other forms of redress, and to help them reintegrate fully into their communities. It will also serve to provide technical advice, establish good practices, and advocate for reparations for survivors. Dr Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad are leading the initiative in close collaboration and consultation with other public, private and civil society stakeholders.

Nadia Murad said: “Accepting responsibility and acknowledging the crimes committed is of utmost importance to survivors. It can enhance the healing process greatly”.

Dr Denis Mukwege added: “The importance of establishing this Fund for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence cannot be overstated. We have been advocating for such an initiative for many years. Seeing it come to fruition is a huge step forwards for humanity”.

The official launch of the Fund is expected to take place on 30 October 2019 at the United Nations in New York. Countries such as France and Germany have also announced their support to the Fund. At the G7 Summit in Biarritz in August 2019, the EU had announced a €1 million contribution to the Fund.

Background

Dr Denis Mukwege is a Congolese gynaecologist. He founded and works at Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he specialises in the treatment of women victims of rape and sexual violence by armed rebels. Nadia Murad is a member of the Yazidi minority in northern Iraq. In 2014, she survived a brutal attack on her home village from the Islamic State. In 2018, Dr Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for “their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict”.

The European Union has been supporting Dr Mukwege’s Panzi Foundation with €19 million since 2004. Panzi Hospital is internationally recognised as a reference model for care provided to victims of sexual violence.

In addition, in 2018 the EU strengthened its ongoing stabilisation and reconstruction efforts in the Sinjar region in Iraq through a €1 million contribution to Nadia Murad’s “Sinjar Action Fund”. European development cooperation in the areas of the country liberated from Da’esh supports in particular the needs of displaced populations, vulnerable groups and local communities.

WE the Africa Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) and the European Union (EU), taking into consideration our ACP-EU Partnership Agreement:

REAFFIRM that the 2030 Agenda is an ambitious and transformative plan of action to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development in its economic, social and environmental dimensions providing a pathway towards a more sustainable future.

With the underlying “leaving no-one behind” principle, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are universal and indivisible with a clear commitment to future generations. At a time, when the multilateral system is continuously put to the test, we underscore the need to be UNITED in our determination to WORK TOGETHER including through our ACP-EU partnership for the successful implementation of the SDGs by 2030.

Recognising the linkages between sustainable development and climate action we REITERATE our strong commitment to implement the Paris Agreement on Climate Change fully and effectively. The implementation of the SDGs and the objectives of the Paris Agreement will underpin our partnership.

Emphasise that bold decisions are warranted for the achievement of the SDGs. We intend to INTENSIFY our efforts to accelerate progress towards the achievement of the SDGs and stand ready to work together in supporting countries to INTEGRATE SDGs in their national policy, including financing strategies, and reporting frameworks at various levels.

UNDERSCORE the importance that the 2030 Agenda is nationally driven and that the primary responsibility for its implementation lies with each country, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders at the local, national, regional and international levels, including inter alia, civil society, international organisations and the private sector.

Reiterate our shared commitment to MOBILISE in line with the Addis Ababa Action Agenda a full range of means of implementation in the spirit of partnership; in this regard RECOGNISE the importance of domestic resource mobilisation, development finance, development effectiveness and of strengthening existing partnerships such as North-South cooperation, South-South and triangular cooperation including multi-stakeholder partnerships, for the effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement. The establishment of new multi-stakeholder partnerships including public-private partnerships is key for diversifying and transforming the economies of ACP countries and EU Member States.

 In implementing the 2030 Agenda we will be GUIDED BY and PROMOTE our common principles and core values, including democratic principles, rule of law, good governance, respect for human rights, equal access to justice for all, gender equality, women empowerment and solidarity as well as our strong commitment to the rules-based global order with multilateralism and the United Nations at its core.

RECOGNISE that it is essential to ACCELERATE action and to fully IMPLEMENT the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement. Our collective action can make a real difference in addressing our common challenges and advancing mutual benefits.

WE OWE A SUSTAINABLE WORLD TO OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

ESMA has today started to make available the updated annual transparency calculations for equity and equity-like instruments. Those calculations include:

• the liquidity assessment as per Articles 1 to 5 of CDR 2017/567;
• the determination of the most relevant market in terms of liquidity (MRM) as per Article 4 of CDR 2017/587 (RTS 1);
• the determination of the average daily turnover (ADT) relevant for the determination of the pre-trade and post-trade large in scale (LIS) thresholds;
• the determination of the average value of the transactions (AVT) and the related standard market size (SMS); and, 
• the determination of the average daily number of transactions on the most relevant market in terms of liquidity (ADNT) relevant for the determination of the tick-size regime.

These new results reflect late corrections of the underlying data used to perform the calculations by reporting entities. This is the data provided to the Financial Instruments Transparency System (FITRS) by trading venues and approved publication arrangements (APAs) in relation to the calendar year 2018.

ESMA had identified mis-reporting by trading venues, in particular TP ICAP UK MTF – CASH EQUITY (MIC: IMCE), related to the determination of the applicable tick-size regime. ESMA considers that this misreporting should have been identified by the relevant venues earlier. ESMA wishes to emphasise again that correct and timely reporting is essential for the calculation of correct results by ESMA. Incorrect results do have an impact on the entire market and not just the misreporting venues.   

ESMA had reacted to the issue of misreporting with a statement published on 7 July 2019 . ESMA wishes to clarify now that from 30 September 2019, European trading venues will also be bound by the tick sizes deriving from the ESMA publication of 23 September 2019 for third-country shares with an average daily number of transactions lower than one on the most relevant market in the EU which are shares considered to be third-country shares for which the trading venue with the highest turnover is located in a country outside the EEA.

The updated results of the annual transparency calculations for equity and equity-like instruments shall apply from 30 September 2019 until 31 March 2020.  In the updated results, there are 1,480 liquid shares and 689 liquid equity-like instruments other than shares, subject to MiFID II/MiFIR transparency requirements. 

The full list of assessed equity and equity-like instruments will be available through ESMA’s Financial Instruments Transparency System (FITRS) in the XML files from 23 September 2019 (link available here) and through the Register web interface (link available here).

Background

MiFID II/MiFIR became applicable on 3 January 2018 introducing, amongst others, pre-trade and post-trade transparency requirements for equity and non-equity instruments.

Pre-trade transparency requirements may be waived for transactions, whose size is above large-in-scale thresholds (LIS), and systematic internalisers (SIs) have pre-trade transparency obligations for instruments traded on a traded venue which are liquid and when dealing with orders up to the standard market size (SMS).

The publication of post-trade information can be deferred for transactions whose size is above large-in-scale thresholds (LIS).

MiFID II/MiFIR introduce the tick-size regime to orders in shares, depositary receipts based on the average daily number of transactions in the most relevant market in terms of liquidity and to orders in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on the basis of their price.

Next steps

From 1 April 2020, the next annual transparency calculations for equity and equity-like instruments to be published by 1 March 2020, will become applicable.

The President-elect has today designated her core media relations team: Jens Flosdorff as Executive Communication Adviser in the President’s cabinet and responsible for the President’s media activities, Eric Mamer as Chief Commission Spokesperson and Dana Spinant as Deputy Chief Spokesperson.

Jens Flosdorff, a German national with 15 years’ experience in political communication, is currently part of the President-elect’s transition team. He was director of communication in the German ministries of defence and of social affairs over the past ten years. Previously, he served as deputy and chief spokesperson for the German ministry of family affairs (2005-2009) and deputy chief spokesperson for the ministry of social affairs of Lower Saxony (2004-2005). In all these positions, Jens Flosdorff worked closely with Ursula von der Leyen. Prior to his public service career, he worked as a journalist in Hannover between 2000 and 2004.

Eric Mamer, a French national, is currently Director in charge of competitiveness and the European semester in the Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs. His 25 years of experience in the Commission span various policy areas and management and communication positions, including deputy head of cabinet of Commissioner Günther H. Oettinger (2012-2016) on energy and on digital issues, head of unit in the Directorates-General for Budget and for Communication (2005-2012), and spokesman for two European Commissioners (1999-2004).

Dana Spinant, a Romanian national, is currently director in charge of budget, communication and general affairs in the Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy. Before that, she was a head of unit in charge of irregular migration (2015-2017) and of drugs policy (2010-2014). Prior to joining the Commission, Dana Spinant worked for 15 years in journalism, including as editor and deputy editor of European Voice (2002-2009), deputy editor of EUobserver.com (2001-2002), as well as news director and Brussels correspondent for various Romanian TV channels.

Eric Mamer and Dana Spinant will start in their new positions once the von der Leyen Commission takes office – which according to the Treaties is 1 November 2019. The current team of the Spokesperson’s Service remains in charge until the end of the mandate of the Juncker Commission.