Commissioners begin to appoint their key staff

More than half of the 27 European commissioners who are to take office early next year have so far chosen officials to head their private office.

Many current heads of cabinet will follow their commissioners to their new posts. Among them are Anthony Whelan, who will rejoin Neelie Kroes (digital agenda); Marc Vanheukelen, who will accompany Karel De Gucht (trade); and Stephen Quest, who will again lead Algirdas Šemeta's cabinet (taxation issues). Antonio Preto will re-join Antonio Tajani (industry), while Androulla Vassiliou (education) has re-appointed Philippe Brunet.

Catherine Ashton, who was commissioner for trade and is now the high representative for foreign policy, has yet to name to name the head of her private office, but is expected to retain James Morrison's services.

John Bell will remain a head of cabinet but change commissioner and area, moving from consumer affairs under Meglena Kuneva to research and innovation under Ireland's commissioner, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn.

Several officials are being promoted. Martin Selmayr, who was Viviane Reding's spokesman for the information society, will be her head of her cabinet as she deals with justice, fundamental rights and citizenship questions. John Dalli, the Maltese commissioner (health and consumer policy), has promoted Joanna Darmanin. Darmanin served in the cabinet of the previous Maltese commissioner, Joe Borg (fisheries).

Different approaches

Newcomers to the Commission have chosen different approaches. Johannes Hahn (regional policy) has selected Hubert Gambs, who served in the cabinet of Austria's previous commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner (external relations).

Similarly, the head of the private office of Pawel Samecki (regional policy), Marc Lemaître, will serve under another Polish commissioner, Janusz Lewandowski (budgets).

Cecilia Malmström (home affairs), currently Sweden's EU affairs minister, will bring Maria Åsenius with her from Stockholm. Åsenius is currently Malmström's secretary of state.Denmark's commissioner, Connie Hedegaard, comes to a newly created post, as commissioner for climate action, and has chosen as her head of cabinet Peter Vis. He previously served in the private office of Andris Piebalgs (energy).

The process of appointing heads and deputy heads is expected to be completed within days.