The Romanian Social Democratic MEP Roxana Mînzatu will serve as Executive Vice-President of the European Commission in its new structure, following appointments made by the Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, on Tuesday, September 17. She will also handle one of the most important portfolios – People, Skills and Preparedness.

The Commission has appointed six Executive Vice-Presidents, four women and two men, namely:

• Teresa Ribera (Spain): Executive Vice-President of a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition;
• Henna Virkkunen (Finland): Executive Vice-President for Tech-Sovereignty, Security and Democracy; 
• Stéphane Séjourné (France): Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy;
• Roxana Mînzatu (Romania): Executive Vice-President for People, Skills and Preparedness;
• Raffaele Fitto (Italy):  Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms;
• Kaja Kallas (Estonia): High Representative and Vice-President.

"I am also very happy to entrust the role of Executive Vice-President for People, Skills and Preparedness to Roxana Mînzatu. She will have the responsibility for skills, education and culture, quality jobs and social rights. This is under the umbrella of demography. Roxana will notably lead on a Union of Skills and the European Pillar of Social Rights. She will focus on those areas which are crucial to unite our society," EC president von der Leyen said.

Roxana Mînzatu, 44, was Romania’s proposal for European Commissioner. She has, according to her CV, extensive experience in the field of European funds gained in the private sector, non-governmental sector, and during her time in public offices. 

"For the first time since joining the European Union, Romania has secured the position of Vice-President of the European Commission and one of the most important portfolios – People, Skills and Preparedness. A major portfolio that will manage one-fifth of the EU budget, specifically EUR 235 billion," Romanian prime minister Marcel Ciolacu said in a post on Facebook. 

Roxana Mînzatu will oversee both the education sector and social policies, as well as the funding programs related to these areas, including the European Social Fund Plus, the Social Climate Fund, and Erasmus+, the PM explained.

Ciolacu also criticized the opposition which, according to him, had undermined Romania's negotiating abilities in Brussels, stating that the appointment serves as a "harsh lesson" for them. He also highlighted the important positions that Romanian Social-Democratic MEPs hold in the European institutions.

Initially, Romania proposed MEP Victor Negrescu, but later supported Mînzatu after von der Leyen advocated for more female representation in the new executive. However, men still dominate the new team, with 16 to 11 women.

France also had to nominate a new candidate after Thierry Breton resigned a day before the official announcement of the Commission's structure.

The next step is for the 26 proposed commissioners to go through parliamentary hearings, followed by a vote of confidence. The European Parliament will assess their competence, European commitment, independence, and knowledge of their portfolios. Additionally, the Legal Affairs Committee will examine their declarations of interest, according to Biziday.

radu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos / George Călin)