On 27 November, with a total of 370 votes in favour, the European Parliament approved the new composition of the College of Commissioners who will accompany Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for the next 5 years. The College of Commissioners is composed of the President of the Commission, six Vice-Presidents and 20 Commissioners. The new College will set out the priorities and ambitions of the European Commission for 2024-2029, on the basis of the political guidelines presented by President von der Leyen to the European Parliament on the day of her election. From 1 December, the new European Commission will start working on the areas and issues that were assigned in the mission letters to each of the Commissioners.
Several Commissionners will have competences with relevance for the promotion of Roma equality and inclusion and for the use of EU Funds in this area, notably:
- Commissioner for Crisis Preparedness, Crisis Management and Equality, Hadja Lahbi. Responsible for equality in the EU, she will lead the implementation of the European Strategic Framework for Roma Equality, Inclusion and Participation; present the new Anti-Racism Strategy; lead the mainstreaming of equality considerations in EU policies, legislation and funding programmes.
- Executive Vice-President for People, Skills and Preparedness, Roxana Mînzatu. Among other issues, she should lead the work on the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy; contribute to the future European Affordable Housing Plan; strengthen the European Child Guarantee; ensure the implementation of European funds supporting social rights and a fair transition, especially the European Social Fund Plus; design a new Action Plan on the Implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, as well as support the Social Climate Fund.
- Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, Raffaele Fitto. He will ensure the effective implementation of the Cohesion Policy, including by using the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund, and by supporting the implementation of the Just Transition Fund. He will also develop, among other issues, the agreements and investments of the Recovery and Resilience Plans with a focus on the implementation of the NextGeneration funds; and contribute to the European Affordable Housing Plan.
- Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jørgensen. He will launch the first European Affordable Housing Plan; establish a pan-European investment platform for affordable and sustainable housing; and support the Vice-Presidency for Clean, Fair and Competitive Transition, for state aid rules, to facilitate housing support measures, especially energy efficiency and social housing.
- Commissioner for Intergenerational Equity, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef. He will be responsible for the implementation of the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child, and will promote initiatives to ensure that young people can participate in Europe’s future, including coordinating the work of the annual Youth Policy Dialogues.
- Commissioner for Democracy, Justice and the Rule of Law, Michael McGrath. He will create a Civil Society Platform to support a more systematic civil dialogue, and will be responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights through an annual report to the European Parliament and the Council.
Further information
- European Commission’s composition
- Mission letters for Commissioners-designate
- Political guidelines for the next European Commission 2024-2029
