EU executive creates climate, energy departments
The new European Commission created two new departments on climate change and energy on Wednesday following its formal endorsement by MEPs and member states last week. Some details regarding the organisational structure still have to be worked out.
As previously reported the directorate-general (DG) on climate action will be headed by Belgian Jos Delbeke, formerly the deputy chief of the commission's environment department. The EU executive also confirmed Briton Philip Lowe will head the new DG Energy.
DG Climate Action groups together climate-related units from existing commission departments on the environment, external relations and industry. It currently has 105 staff, but ENDS understands it will eventually employ about 200 civil servants.
Recruitment from other departments and the final organisation of DG climate action will be completed over coming weeks and months, climate spokeswoman Maria Kokkonen said. A website for the new department will be launched when the process is finalised.
Contrary to previous reports, DG Environment will remain responsible for industrial emissions and the integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) directive. But protection of the ozone layer will move to DG Climate Action as planned, officials confirmed.
DG Environment will also keep air quality legislation. But the unit dealing with CO2 emissions from transport will move to DG Climate Action, located in the same premises. The commission is considering the adoption of a transport and climate package.
DG Energy will comprise the energy-related units of the former commission department for transport and energy, plus an energy task force currently in DG External Relations. The units relating to transport will remain within in the renamed DG Mobility and Transport.
*Meanwhile, the commission has launched a research task force to review the EU's research budget and organisational links between research and other policies. The task force will be chaired by the commission's secretary general.
