Ready to begin a fourth mandate, the European Commissioner-designate for Trade and Economic Security, Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency, Maroš Šefčovič, intends to stick to the strategy on economic security published by the European Commission last January (see EUROPE 13335/1). Although he emphasises the need to strengthen the European Union’s economic security and resilience, Mr Šefčovič does not go further than the framework set out: the risks must first be identified before new legislative proposals can be considered.
The strategy of ‘promoting, protecting and creating partnerships’ should apply everywhere. Mr Šefčovič therefore believes that the EU must maintain the highest level of economic openness, “while ensuring that there is a solid understanding of the vulnerabilities we have and the risks we face, and that we deploy the necessary mitigation measures to limit them”.
Work can also be done at G7 country level or with other reliable partners, to “develop economic security standards for key supply chains”, he believes.
According to the Commissioner-designate, economic security means reducing risks by diversifying partners and sources of supply, particularly in terms of access to raw materials. He is therefore committed to trying to conclude Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships that will “help secure supplies of raw materials, clean energy and clean technologies”.
New free trade agreements. Eagerly anticipated to conclude new trade agreements, Maroš Šefčovič is not making any major promises. He simply undertakes to try and conclude the negotiations under way, such as those with Mercosur, Mexico, India and Indonesia, “subject to our interests being met and our values being respected”.
The Commissioner-designate would also like to explore new types of sectoral partnerships such as Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreements and Mutual Recognition Agreements.
On the procedure for ratifying these trade treaties, he emphasises the EU’s exclusive competence over agreements that relate solely to trade. “I will, as a matter of principle, seek to build a common understanding with the European Parliament and [EU] Council for concluding as many trade and investment agreements as possible as EU competence agreements”. This means that new agreements would be split into trade and political sections, like the one with Chile, so that the free trade section can be ratified quickly.
As for trade policy in the broader sense, Mr Šefčovič “intends to make full use of the tools available to enforce the Union’s exclusive competence including through informal dialogue and, if necessary, formal infringement procedures”. He refers to Member States taking unilateral trade measures against imports from third countries.
Relations with China. The tone is firm when it comes to economic relations with Beijing, which must be “more balanced and reciprocal”, according to the Commissioner-designate. Not closing the door on dialogue, he assures us that he will take “all necessary actions to defend EU interests in these bilateral relations”.
Transatlantic relations. The approach to relations with Washington remains the same as during the current mandate: Maroš Šefčovič wants to try to resolve persistent trade disputes (Airbus/Boeing, steel and aluminium, IRA). He also takes a stance in favour of a revamped EU-US Trade and Technology Council.
Inter-institutional relations. If confirmed in his post, the Slovak political leader from the Smer party will once again be responsible for smoothing inter-institutional relations.
In particular, he promises to work “swiftly” on a revision of the framework agreement governing cooperation between the European Parliament and the European Commission. These discussions will be based on the compromise reached at the beginning of the week between President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen (see EUROPE 13509/18). Parliament should be better able to monitor the Commission’s activities by being treated on an equal footing with the EU Council in the exchange of information. The Commission will have to justify the exceptional cases where it makes legislative proposals that circumvent Parliament’s legislative powers (Article 122 TFEU), as was the case during the energy crisis.
We are committed to using this article “only in exceptional circumstances”, confirms Mr Šefčovič.
On the European Parliament’s request to convene a Convention to revise the Treaties (activation of Article 48 TFEU) (see EUROPE 13298/7), the Commissioner-designate recalls the words of Ms von der Leyen, who said she was in favour of an institutional revision where such a step would improve the functioning of the EU. And he assures us that the European Commission will play its role in providing its opinion on the matter “if and when consulted by the European Council”.
On Parliament’s right of initiative, which MEPs want to strengthen, Mr Šefčovič noted that, during the previous mandate, the Commission responded positively to 24 out of the 25 European Parliament resolutions (based on Article 225 TFEU) asking the Commission to present a legislative initiative. As for strengthening Parliament's right of inquiry, he will seek to support MEPs and Member States in searching for solutions to a deadlock in the EU Council (see EUROPE 12564/20).
Finally, the Commissioner-designate recognises the need to improve the current situation in terms of transparency. The review of the agreement establishing the EU Transparency register, expected by “July 2025”, will be “of high importance”, he believes.
See Mr Šefčovič’s answers to MEPs: https://aeur.eu/f/dzu (Original version in French by Léa Marchal, with Mathieu Bion)