Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11
By Aygun Badalova - Trend:
Former Slovenian Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek will have overall responsibility for energy policy in the proposed 28-strong European Commission unveiled on September 10, International Oil Daily (IOD) reported.
Bratusek, as a Vice-President for Energy Union, is among seven vice presidents named to head key areas such as the budget, regulation and jobs in a move that European Commission President-elect Jean-Claude Juncker said is "geared to give Europe its new start", IOD said in its article.
Bratusek's area of responsibility, in particular, will include steering and coordinating work in energy area, which will involve bringing together several Commissioners and different parts of the Commission to shape coherent policies and deliver results. Bratusek will steer and coordinate the work of several Commissioners, in particular the Commissioners for Climate Action and Energy; Transport and Space; Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs; Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries; Regional Policy; Agriculture and Rural Development; and Research, Science and Innovation.
European Union needs to pool its resources, combine infrastructures and unite its negotiating power vis-à-vis third countries, the mission letter of Jean-Claude Juncker to Alenka Bratušek said.
"We need to diversify our energy sources, and reduce the high energy dependency of several of our Member States. I want to keep our European energy market open to our neighbours", he said.
The candidate for President of the Commission is proposed to the European Parliament by the European Council that decides by qualified majority and taking into account the elections to the European Parliament, the statement on the forming the new Commission on the EC official website said.
The Commission President is then elected by the European Parliament by a majority of its component members (which corresponds to at least 376 out of 751 votes). Following this election, the President-elect selects the 27 other members of the Commission, on the basis of the suggestions made by Member States. The final list of Commissioners-designate has then to be agreed between the President-elect and the Council. The Commission as a whole needs the Parliament's consent.