Romania, Slovenia among five countries eyeing new European Commission’s energy portfolio

Five EU member states, including Estonia, Latvia, Romania, Poland, and Slovenia, are interested in getting the energy portfolio in the next European Commission, HotNews.ro reported.

The candidates for European energy commissioner are Kadri Simson from Estonia, Virginijus Sinkevicius, Linas Linkevicius or Saulius Skvernelis from Latvia, Luminita Odobescu from Romania, Krzysztof Szczerski from Poland, and Janez Lenarčič from Slovenia.

Estonian politician Kadri Simson, Janez Lenarčič, and Krzysztof Szczerski have been officially nominated by their governments for unspecified EU commissioner posts

Luminita Odobescu is currently Romania’s ambassador to the EU, while Janez Lenarčič holds the same position for Slovenia. Krzysztof Szczerski is chief of the Polish president’s cabinet and Kadri Simson is a member of the Centre Party.

Romania is interested in energy, transport, and environment portfolios in the next European Commission

So far, Estonian politician Kadri Simson, Janez Lenarčič, and Krzysztof Szczerski have been officially nominated by their governments for unspecified European commissioner posts. According to HotNews.ro, Romania’s Prime Minister Viorica Dancila informed Brussels that the country is interested in energy, transport, and environment portfolios in the next European Commission.

The current European Commission’s term of office expires on October 31, 2019. Miguel Arias Canete is the outgoing EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy.

The list of candidates for EU commissioners is first adopted by the Council and the new Commission President. After that, candidates must attend a hearing before the parliamentary committees related to their future field of responsibility. In the end, they are elected in a vote by the European Parliament and appointed by the Council.