New European Commission elected

(Patria) - Members of the European Parliament today approved the composition of the new European Commission, which will continue to be headed by Ursula von der Leyen.

The new Commission will take office on December 1, a month later than originally planned.

A total of 370 MEPs voted in favor of the new European Commission, while 282 voted against, and 36 abstained.

Before the vote at the plenary session of the European Parliament, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, presenting the new College of Commissioners and their program, stated that the European Union would ensure that the future of the Western Balkans, Ukraine, and Moldova lies in Europe and that it would continue to support these countries at every step of their merit-based accession process until they are ready to join the Union.

Ursula von der Leyen said that the new Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, is the right person for the job.

Executive Vice-Presidents:

- Teresa Ribera (Spain) - Vice-President for Clean, Fair, and Competitive Transition

- Henna Virkkunen (Finland) - Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy

- Stéphane Séjourné (France) - Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy

- Kaja Kallas (Estonia) - High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Vice-President of the Commission

- Roxana Mînzatu (Romania) - Vice-President for People, Skills, and Preparedness

- Raffaele Fitto (Italy) - Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms

European Commissioners:

- Maroš Šefčovič (Slovakia), Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security. The new portfolio includes customs policy. Von der Leyen also entrusted Šefčovič with the role of Commissioner for Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency

- Valdis Dombrovskis (Latvia) will also hold two portfolios - for Economy and Productivity, as well as for Implementation and Simplification

- Dubravka Šuica (Croatia) - Commissioner for the Mediterranean. She will also be responsible for the EU's wider southern neighborhood and will work closely with the future Head of the Foreign Policy Service, Kaja Kallas

- Olivér Várhelyi (Hungary) - Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare

- Wopke Hoekstra (Netherlands) will be Commissioner for Climate, Net-Zero (Emissions), and Clean Growth

- Andrius Kubilius (Lithuania) - Commissioner for Defence and Space, who will work on developing a European Defence Union

- Marta Kos (Slovenia) - Commissioner for Enlargement

- Jozef Síkela (Czech Republic) - Commissioner for International Partnerships

- Kostas Kadis (Cyprus) - Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans

- Maria Luís Albuquerque (Portugal) - Commissioner for Financial Services and the Capital Markets Union

- Hadja Lahbib (Belgium) - Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management

- Magnus Brunner (Austria) - Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration

- Jessica Rosval (Sweden) - Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience, and Competitive Circular Economy

- Piotr Serafin (Poland) - Commissioner for Budget, Anti-Fraud, and Public Administration

- Dan Jørgensen (Denmark) - Commissioner for Energy and Housing

- Ekaterina Zaharieva (Bulgaria) - Commissioner for Research and Innovation

- Michael McGrath (Ireland) - Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, and Rule of Law

- Apostolos Tzitzikostas (Greece) - Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism

- Christophe Hansen (Luxembourg) - Commissioner for Agriculture and Food

- Glen Micallef (Malta) - Commissioner for Intergenerational Justice, Culture, Youth, and Sport.