Energy and climate joined in new European Commission
New Commissioners and new structure include a Vice President for ‘Energy Union’
Early September saw the unveiling of the anticipated ‘Juncker Commission’ set of European Commissioners and their portfolios, as well as the new structure of the European Commission under President-elect’s Jean-Claude Juncker leadership of Europe’s executive body. Juncker is set to take the reins next month.
As speculated before the unveiling, the climate and energy portfolios have been merged under one Commissioner, though the UK’s Jonathan Hill, widely tipped to take the position, didn’t get the job. Instead, Spain’s Miguel Arias Cañete will take on the portfolios of both Connie Hedegaard (European Commissioner for Climate Action) and Gunther Oettinger (European Commissioner for Energy) in the new Commission. Cañete’s title will be European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy. He will oversee two separate Climate Action and Energy teams which will not be merged.
The Juncker Commission also has a new structure. Seven Vice Presidents will oversee seven ‘project teams’ focused on achieving distinct European goals. Slovenia’s ex-Prime Minister Alenka Bratušek has taken the job of the Vice President for Energy Union, and a series of Commissioners, Cañete included, will work under her to achieve the aim of a ‘resilient energy union with a forward-looking climate change policy.’
The structure is aimed to ‘streamline’ the Commission with the Vice Presidents determining what makes it on to the Commissioners’ agendas. Juncker has stated that he wants the EU to lead in renewable energy and have a focus on energy efficiency.
There are concerns that the merger would weaken the role of the EU in climate and energy negotiations. Others argued that merging the two policy areas, as the UK has done for some time, was overdue and that the new arrangement will make the EU more effective at formulating better energy policy.
Thomas Becker, Chief Executive Officer of the European Wind Energy Association, said: ‘Mr Juncker’s decision to marry the climate and energy portfolios is a masterstroke. We no longer have a Commissioner simply defending the ETS [Emissions Trading Scheme] while neglecting energy. Climate and energy have inhabited different worlds for far too long and if we are to move toward a true energy union in Europe, the two should not remain in competition with each other.’
At the time of writing, Cañete is due to face hearings from a selection of MEPs in early October. On the choice of Cañete and his background, Mahi Sideridou, Greenpeace EU Managing Director, said: ‘It’s a vitally important role and Cañete is a surprising choice, given his connections to the oil industry. To prove he is the right man for the job, he’ll have to resolve conflicts of interests and improve on his environmental record as a minister.’
News Item details
Journal title: Energy World
Keywords: Climate Change - Government Policy - EU Emissions Trading Scheme
Subjects: Energy efficiency, Wind power
