European Commission downsizes spokesperson team

BRUSSELS — The European Commission is reducing the number of its spokespeople, as Ursula von der Leyen begins her second five-year mandate as president. 

The spokesperson’s service, which reports directly to von der Leyen and gives a daily press conference known as the midday briefing, will drop from 17 to 14 when the Commission begins work in earnest Monday, according to a list of members seen by POLITICO. Rumors have swirled in Brussels that the number of press conferences — currently five days a week, Monday to Friday — could be reduced.

Here is the new list of spokespeople, first seen by POLITICO:

Paula Pinho will be the chief spokesperson of von der Leyen, as already announced earlier this month.

Pinho will have two deputies, Arianna Podesta and Stefan de Keersmaecker, both of whom are already on the Commission spokesperson team.

Two spokespeople will cover foreign affairs: Anouar El Anouni, an adviser in the European External Action Service, and Anitta Hipper, the current spokesperson for migration and home affairs.

Balazs Ujvari stays on as spokesperson for budget and human resources, and will also be in charge of DG ECFIN and Eurostat. 

Olof Gill remains as trade spokesperson, but will also cover DG FISMA, U.K. relations, economic security and inter-institutional relations. 

Anna Kaisa-Itkonen, who was a former spokesperson for climate under Jean-Claude Juncker, returns to take on a wide portfolio, covering topics including climate, environment, energy, mobility and housing. 

Lea Zuber remains as spokesperson for competition, and will cover the internal market and industrial policy, too. 

Eva Hrnčířová, from the cabinet of outgoing Values and Transparency Commissioner Věra Jourová, will become the spokesperson for a wide policy area, stretching from employment to culture and humanitarian aid to health.

Markus Lammert, currently working in the German chancellery, will become the spokesperson for justice and the rule of law, plus home affairs.

Maciej Berestecki, who works in the Commission’s directorate-general for communication, will take over agriculture, fisheries, regional funding and the EU’s post-Covid economic recovery fund.

Guillaume Mercier, from the cabinet of outgoing Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders, will be the spokesperson in charge of neighborhood policy, development and the Mediterranean. 

Thomas Regnier, the current spokesperson for digital policy and research, will continue largely in the same role, while adding the defense industry and space policy to his portfolio.

The list means it’s goodbye to a number of spokespeople who have become familiar faces to the Brussels press pack.

They include: Chief Spokesperson Eric Mamer, foreign affairs people Peter Stano and Nabila Massrali, Adalbert Jahnz, plus Francesca Dalboni, Ana Pisonero, and Tim McPhie who is joining the Climate Directorate-General as a policy assistant.

Other departing spokespeople, Veerle Nuyts, Jördis Ferroli and Johanna Bernsel are joining the Cabinets of incoming commissioners, as reported in the Brussels Playbook newsletter.

Mathieu Pollet contributed reporting.