Juncker’s Grand Renewal. In the middle of the Greek drama, the European Commission reshuffled several important (non political) Civil Servants. Catherine Day says goodbye in an email. President Juncker has avoided moving people between Directorates that are facing emergencies.

1. Juncker’s Grand
Renewal. Which way
is the wind blowing in
the Commission?
July 2015

2. Like a thief in the night the European Commission reshuffled
several important (non political) Civil Servants.
The final act of this reshuffle by the Juncker Commission is
the appointment of a new Secretary-General and new Directors-
General and Deputy Directors-General.
The reshuffle is more complicated than it looks since it has
to balance experience, nationality and gender.
Right in the middle of the Greek drama

3. The idea behind the President’s reshuffle is nothing new:
to limit the influence of the Directorates-General
(i.e., bureaucrats) over the Commission’s initiatives.
In fact, the President of the Commission is apparently
frightened that he might one day find out from the newspapers
that he has inadvertently proposed a regulation forbidding
the use of oil cruets in restaurants, or a directive about how
curved a banana has to be to be called a banana…
Playing musical chairs?

4. Listen to believe
“Politicians, in other words the Commissioners,
have to be fully responsible and informed about all
the activities of their Directorates-General”
was the anonymous comment by a source close to the President
of the Commission.
“The bottom-up process
has to stop”
Juncker’s words are a tad argumentative; they betray his
intention (and the need?) to ensure that Commissioners dictate
to the bureaucrats and not vice versa…

5. In March 2015 Juncker decided not to use the (extremely
political) appointment system discussed and decided by the
Commission alone. Instead he decided to proceed as follows:
in a sealed envelope each Commissioner proposes three
names (one must be a woman) for every post of Director-
General to be filled (April);
the President consults the relevant Vice-Presidents on
the proposals submitted to him (May);
the new appointments are decided (before the
summer).
An unsual appointment method

6. Once upon a time Catherine Day was Secretary-General of
the European Commission headed by José Manuel Barroso.
A key figure in all decision-making processes, she filtered
national interests (but gave Germany special consideration).
A courageous official said:
“During the Barroso era,
Catherine had to approve everything”
A key position occupied by a woman of steel who feared
nothing during the difficult years of the Barroso Presidency:
the refusal by France and The Netherlands to ratify the
European Constitution, for example, not to mention the
eurozone crisis.
The bastion of the Barroso era

7. Ever since Juncker replaced Barroso as President in July 2014,
the German Martin Selmayr, a veteran Eurocrat, took over the
extremely political role of Head of Cabinet and succeeded in
becoming the shadow President of the Commission.
As the kingpin of all decisions, involved in all negotiations, he
is also the deus ex machina of any changes to Commission
appointments.
For example, he is behind the departure of the most symbolic
official of the Barroso era: yes, Catherine Day, the extremely
powerful euro-bureaucrat!
The exception proves the rule Selmayr’s masterstroke

8. In her email to all EU officials she wrote:
“The time has come for me to move on to the next stage of
my life…The President has accepted my wish to retire.
I know how much I owe to your hard work. More than ever
before the Secretariat-General plays a key role in the life of
the Commission”
Day says goodbye in an email…

9. President Juncker has avoided moving people between
Directorates that are facing emergencies.
The rationale behind change
Accordingly, the Greek crisis and ensuing
fear of contagion have saved Marco Buti
despite the many years spent at the head
of the Directorate General for Economic and
Financial Affairs.
The difficult immigration issue has also
saved Matthias Ruete who remains at DG
Immigration and Home Affairs.

10. Prior to that, he worked in the cabinets of two Commission
Presidents – Jacques Santer and Manuel Barroso – and the
cabinet of the German Commissioner Günter Verheugen.
The new Secretary
Alexander Italianer from The Netherlands
will be the new Secretary General; he is well
versed in the workings of the EU machinery.
Former Director-General for Competition, he
has also held other posts, including the post
of Deputy Secretary-General.

11. And who will head the dreaded DG Competition?
Undoubtedly a high-profile appointee for an important DG,
but there’s little doubt that similarities with Selmayr (country of
origin, career, and political experience in Europe) is the latter’s
second coup: his rise to power appears to be increasingly
unstoppable…
The German Johannes Laitenberger will
be responsible for talks with US corporations
and for negotiations regarding the many,
thorny problems on the plate of DG
Competition. An expert veteran official,
former Commission spokesperson and
previously Barroso’s head of cabinet; the
FederalChancellerywasapparentlyoverjoyed
with his appointment.

12. Viola will become the third Italian Director-General, together
with Marco Buti and Giovanni Kessler, confirmed as head of
the European Anti-Fraud Office.
After all this, what has Italy gained?
At present Italy has been assigned a strategic
Directorate General: Roberto Viola former
Secretary General of the Communications
Regulatory Authority (AGCM), will head DG
CONNECT, a priority area for the Juncker
Commission.

13. Other appointees
Lowri Evans (British) has been appointed to
DG GROW.
Daniel Calleja Crespo (Spanish) will head
DG ENV.

14. Joao Aguiar Machado (Portuguese) is the
new head of DG MARE.
Stephen Quest (British) will head the new
DG TAXUD.
Other appointees
Xavier Prats Monne (Spanish) is the new
head of DG SANTE.

15. And...
Olivier Guersent (French) deputy head of
the new DG FISMA.
Martine Reicherts (Luxembourger) head of
the new DG EAC.
Henrik Hololei (Estonian) deputy head of
the new DG MOVE.