Saturday

9th Dec 2023

Irish MEP picked as new finance commissioner

  • MEP Mairead McGuinness was applauded by fellow MEPs when scolding Nigel Farage at the last plenary with Britain's EU lawmakers (Photo: European Parliament)

Veteran Irish centre-right MEP Mairead McGuinness was proposed as Ireland's new commissioner by EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday (8 September).

McGuinness will replace Phil Hogan, former trade commissioner, who was forced to resign after breaching coronavirus lockdown rules in the so-called 'golfgate' scandal.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

Von der Leyen chose the financial market, financial stability and capital markets union portfolio for McGuinness, and instead passed trade issues to commission vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis.

The mini-reshuffle means the Latvian commissioner will take charge of settling tensions with the US, efforts to rein in China, and concluding trade talks with Australia and New Zealand. He has already been handling trade issues since Hogan quit.

Dombroviskis will continue to oversee the EU economy, and take part in the eurogroup meetings of eurozone finance ministers, alongside economy commissioner Paolo Gentiloni.

McGuinness will take part in the economic council with member states' ministers.

Von der Leyen said McGuinness has a "significant political experience on EU issues", which would be "crucial in carrying forward the EU financials sector policy agenda".

The new commissioner will still have to be appointed by the council after seeking of opinion of the European Parliament, which entails a hearing for McGuinness by her fellow MEPs in the economy committee.

But first the parliament's legal affairs committee will check if she has any possible conflicts of interest.

The parliament's trade committee will also want to hear from Dombrovskis.

Von der Leyen can reshuffle portfolios among sitting commissioners, but the parliament can ask for an exchange of views.

Trade committee chair Bernd Lange said Dombrovskis' new set of tasks was an "unusual portfolio, to say the least".

"Looking forward to welcoming Dombrovskis to his hearing in front of the trade committee soon!," Lange added.

However, von der Leyen kept the shake up of her commission to a minimum - reinforcing her image as a commission president who values stability over grandiose political surprises.

Dombrovkis, a former Latvian prime minister, holds onto overseeing the EU economy, while a part of his portfolio went to the new Irish commissioner.

It will involve leading the commission's banking and finance reform, and it will give McGuinness a key role in overseeing access of the City of London to EU markets.

Ireland has been amassing several financial portfolios: former Irish finance minister Paschal Donohoe was chosen in July to head the eurogroup.

McGuinness has been an MEP since 2004 and has served as the assembly's deputy president since 2017. She is largely well-respected and liked among fellow MEPs.

Recently, she won praise when she chaired the parliamentary plenary during the last-ever session with Britain's departing MEPs.

McGuinness scolded Nigel Farage and his fellow Brexit party MEPs for waving the British flag in the chamber, which is a breach of parliamentary procedure.

Hogan sets out trade plans at commissioner grilling

Phil Hogan, the current agriculture commissioner, told MEPs the EU needs to defend itself in trade disputes but will try to work together with the US, if Washington is a willing partner.

Analysis

How Moldova is trying to control tuberculosis

Moldova, Europe's poorest country, is working hard to combat tuberculosis. The country wants to be tuberculosis-free by 2030, at the same time as joining the EU. That's quite a challenge.

Opinion

How should EU reform the humanitarian aid system?

The example of Ukraine illustrates that donors like the EU should be more ambitious about the localisation of aid. And this funding to local actors needs to be predictable, flexible, and longer than the typical one-year funding cycle.

Latest News

  1. How Moldova is trying to control tuberculosis
  2. Many problems to solve in Dubai — honesty about them is good
  3. Sudanese fleeing violence find no haven in Egypt or EU
  4. How should EU reform the humanitarian aid system?
  5. EU suggests visa-bans on Israeli settlers, following US example
  6. EU ministers prepare for all-night fiscal debate
  7. Spain's Nadia Calviño backed to be EIB's first female chief
  8. Is there hope for the EU and eurozone?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  2. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries
  3. European Citizen's InitiativeThe European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  5. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  6. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us