10 September 2014: President-elect of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, has announced the composition and organization of work for the next European Commission. In the new structure, six Vice-Presidents will lead Project Teams and steer and coordinate the work of Commissioners. A Project Team on the ‘Energy Union’ will be led by Alenka Bratušek (Slovenia). Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete (Spain) will be in charge of both Climate Action and Energy policy.

The new Commission set-up also includes a High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security Policy, and 19 other Commissioners. While the roles of Vice-Presidents and Commissioners will be “mutually dependent,” the former will be charge of a number of “priority projects,” and steer and coordinate work across the Commission in the key areas of Political Guidelines, such as the Energy Union.

Leading the Project Team titled ‘A Resilient Energy Union with a Forward-Looking Climate Change Policy,’ Vice-President-designate Alenka Bratušek, former Prime Minister of Slovenia, will coordinate the work of several Commissioners, including; Climate Action and Energy; Transport and Space; Industry, Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs); and Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.

Miguel Arias Cañete, former Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environment of Spain, has been appointed to a new, combined Climate Action and Energy portfolio. Describing the rationale for the new Commissioner’s post, the European Commission’s press release explains that “climate change and energy are mutually reinforcing,” “go hand-in-hand,” and are therefore “now in one pair of hands.”

The Directorates-General (DG) for Climate Action and Energy will remain distinct, but will report to one Commissioner. According to the press release, “Europe needs one, strong voice to speak on behalf of the EU ahead of the UN Paris meeting in 2015 and beyond.” It notes that increasing the share of renewables is both responsible climate policy and an industrial policy imperative, while energy efficiency will help both to create jobs and cut costs for consumers, and make the region’s energy policy more sustainable.

On energy efficiency, the press release further informs that achieving a resilient Energy Union will include a binding 30% energy efficiency objective for 2030. The European Parliament is expected to give its consent to the entire College of Commissioners, after which the European Council will formally appoint the Commission. [European Commission Press Release] [European Commission Press Conference Speech Script] [European Commission Questions and Answers Memo] [List of Commissioner Candidates]