New EU Commissioner Designated For Competition Policy

On 27 November 2009, the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, unveiled the designated team of 26 new Commissioners who, if confirmed by the European Parliament, will serve for the next five years term, until October 2014. Joaquín Almunia, 61 – a Spanish socialist and currently EU Commissioner for economic and monetary affairs – has been designated to be EU Commissioner for Competition Policy and a Vice-President of the Commission.

Mr. Almunia will replace the current EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes, who has been designated to be Commissioner for the "Digital Agenda," with a portfolio covering telecoms and information and communication technology policies. Working closely with the new commissioner will be Alexander Italianer, who was named as Philip Lowe's replacement as director general of the Commission's Directorate General for Competition. Italianer is a Dutch economist and former deputy head of President Barroso's cabinet.