Festive farewells

It is the time of year – and it is the point in a Commission's lifespan – for departures. Rolf Annerberg, who for the last seven years has been head of the private office of Sweden's European Commissioner Margot Wallström, is going back to the Swedish civil service. He will be replaced by Christian Leffler, a director for the Middle East and the southern Mediterranean in the Commission's external relations department. Bernhard Zepter, who until earlier this year was head of the Commission's delegation in Tokyo, and long ago was in Jacques Delors' cabinet, is taking early retirement with effect from February.
Christian Falkowski, head of the Commission's delegation in Vienna, is taking early retirement from 1 April.