On Wednesday, 4 December, the European Commission adopted new working methods for the roles of the Executive Vice-Presidents, the High Representative/Vice-President, the Vice-Presidents and the Commissioners' Groups.
Ursula von der Leyen, the Commission President, insisted to the media that the Commission “works as one team”. The Commission will take decisions collectively. The members of the Commission will all have an equal say in the decision-making process. Once decisions have been made, each member of the Commission will be expected to take ownership of them and defend them.
The three Executive Vice-Presidents will perform a dual function, acting both as Vice-Presidents and as leaders of a policy area. The Executive Vice-Presidents, the High Representative/Vice-President and the Vice-Presidents will be responsible for giving political direction to the work in their action area, while ensuring it is coordinated, through the six groups of Commissioners in particular (A European Green Deal, Europe fit for the digital age, etc.)
The Commission has established a new body to coordinate external relations issues, the Group for External Coordination ('EXCO').
The College of Commissioners will lead the way in digital matters by holding paperless meetings and using the ‘e-college’ app.
Cabinets 50% female. Ursula von der Leyen said she had asked for Commissioners’ all cabinets to include at least 50% women at administrative level. “And, for the first time, we have achieved this target”, she said. She advised the Commissioners to have as many different nationalities as possible in their cabinets and set an example herself (16 nationalities are represented in her cabinet).
A new internal think tank came into existence: ‘IDEA' (Inspire, Debate, Engage, Accelerate action).
To consult the decisions made during the day, go to: http://bit.ly/34PxcR8 (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)