New EU Commission gives key economic posts to France and Britain

The incoming head of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, unveiled an EU executive team on Wednesday that handed key economic responsibilities to French and British commissioners but overseen by others in a new-look hierarchy. Naming Britain’s Jonathan Hill to a brief including banks and the integration of EU capital markets was widely seen as a gesture to British Prime Minister David Cameron, a vocal critic of Juncker and his support for a powerful Brussels that Cameron says could push Britons to vote to quit the European Union. Pierre Moscovici, the nominee of French President Francois Hollande and a proponent of government spending to boost eurozone growth, will run economic and monetary affairs.

Juncker has done a very good job of marshalling quite an array of big beasts. A lot of decisions are quite courageous.

Hugo Brady, an expert on the European Union at the London School of Economics

Former prime ministers Jyrki Katainen of Finland and Valdis Dombrovskis of Latvia will be respective vice-presidents with oversight of “jobs, growth, investment and competitiveness” and “the euro and social dialogue”. Both northern eurozone countries are allies of Germany and backers of austerity. Germany, as economic powerhouse of the Union, is sure of a major say in its affairs. Berlin’s representative, the outgoing EU energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger, will be responsible for the “digital economy”, notably the telecoms industry.

In these unprecedented times, Europe’s citizens expect us to deliver. After years of economic hardship and often painful reforms, Europeans expect a performing economy, sustainable jobs, more social protection, safer borders, energy security and digital opportunities.

European Commission President-elect Jean-Claude Juncker

Politics Jonathan Hill