01/09/2020 (Agence Europe) – The call for applications for the post of Director General (DG) of the European Space Agency (ESA) was closed on Monday, 31 August. We have been told that the application process is expected to result in the ESA Council selecting the agency’s new director general by the end of the year. The proceedings will be held behind closed doors. For the time being, two candidates—Pedro Duque (from Spain) and Eric Morel de Westgaver (from Belgium)—have been officially announced, each supported by his national government. Nevertheless, the names of Italy’s Simonetta Di Pippo, France’s Jean-Yves Le Gall, and Austria’s Josef Aschbacher are reportedly circulating but have not been officially confirmed. The current DG’s term of office will end on 30 June 2021 (see EUROPE 12511/14). (PH)