New European Commission team unveiled
European Commission President José Manuel Barroso announced the portfolio's responsibilities for the next Commission on Friday 27 November. The 27 person team, which represents almost 500 million people, is likely to take office early next year. It will serve for five years, but first needs the European Parliament's approval.
The nomination of the Commission, a powerful regulatory body, follows the naming of a new EU president and foreign policy chief as well as ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, intended to make EU decision-making smoother.
As far as EHFCN is concerned, the new Commissioners who are likely to tackle the topic of healthcare fraud and corruption are:
- John Dalli (Malta): Health and Consumer Policy
- Viviane Reding (Luxembourg): Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship
- Algirdas Šemeta (Lithuania): Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud
Some further changes were announced within some Directorates General, namely:
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The Pharmaceutical Products and Cosmetics Units move to DG SANCO from DG Enterprise and Industry (ENTR), consequently the European Medicines Agency comes under the Health and Consumer portfolio;
The next steps are now:
- 11-19 Jan. 2010: Hearings will take place with the newly-nominated commissioners in the European Parliament.
- 26 Jan. 2010: Final vote of the European Parliament on the full Commission.
- 1 Feb. 2010: The new Commission is expected to take office.