UPDATED: Dan Jørgensen is set to become the new EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing. This is stated by Ursula von der Leyen at a press conference in Strasbourg. Here, among other things, he will be tasked with bringing energy prices down and getting the EU converted to green energy.
- Dan Jørgensen becomes commissioner for energy and housing. His work should help bring energy prices down. Invest in clean energy and ensure that we get out of our energy dependency. He will be the first Commissioner for Housing. He must look at all aspects from energy efficiency to construction, says von der Leyen.
Denmark thus appears to be occupying a position which is both central to the green transition and has gained even greater importance after the war in Ukraine. Here, rising energy prices and dependence on gas from Russia have focused on the fact that the EU countries will have to become more independent and green when it comes to energy.
The post of commissioner for energy is currently held by Estonian Kadri Simson. During her term, the 27 EU countries reached a milestone in the first half of 2024, as 50 percent of the EU's electricity production now comes from renewable energy sources such as solar and wind.
In addition, the EU countries have succeeded in reducing their dependence on Russian gas. The proportion of Russian gas has fallen from 45 per cent. of the EU's total imports in 2021 to 15 per cent. in 2023. Thus, the EU is already in the process of restructuring, which Dan Jørgensen must now continue.
Must be approved
Dan Jørgensen must now go through hearings in the EU Parliament before he can be sure of getting the post. It is not yet known which committee will handle Dan Jørgensen's energy post.
Normally, the committees turn the thumbs down on individual candidates, and the governments of the member states in question then put forward a new candidate, who must go through hearings. The entire EU Commission must then be approved by a joint vote in the EU Parliament.
After the 2019 election, the EU Parliament rejected a total of three candidates, who were replaced by others. However, Dan Jørgensen may have an advantage in the hearings due to the fact that he himself has previously been a member of the EU Parliament. In doing so, he has both shown commitment to parliament and has an understanding of the political groups that must approve him.
It is expected that the new EU Commission can take office after the hearings either on 1 November or 1 December.
40 per cent. women
11 out of the 27 candidates for Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's second EU Commission are women. This corresponds to around 40 percent, says the commission chairman himself at a presentation on Tuesday.
Thus, as expected, von der Leyen does not achieve gender balance in his second EU Commission. On the other hand, four out of the six so-called executive vice presidents will be women, says von der Leyen.
- When we began the process, the EU countries had nominated so few women that the EU Commission would consist of 22 percent women and 78 percent men. It was completely unacceptable, so I worked with the EU countries to get more female candidates. It managed to reach 40 percent. But there is still much to do, says von der Leyen.
The candidates must go through hearings in the EU Parliament before they are approved. Parliament has the ability to block commissioners.
It is expected that the new EU Commission can take office after the hearings either on 1 November or 1 December.
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