Maroš Šefcovic, Inter-institutional Relations and Administration
(Slovakia, Socialist)

Background

Maroš Šefčovič is a career diplomat, having begun his career in the foreign ministry of Czechoslovakia in the early 1990s. A native of Bratislava, he chose to join the nascent foreign service of Slovakia after Czechoslovakia split. In that capacity, he served as director of the Foreign Minister’s private office, deputy head of the Slovakian Mission to the EU, Ambassador to Israel and Permanent Representative to the EU following Slovakia’s accession in 2004. In late 2009, Mr Šefčovič was called upon to replace Ján Figel’ as Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth following the latter’s resignation from the Commission in order to lead the Christian Democratic Movement in Slovakia.

 

Stated objectives on taking office

• To help set up the European External Action Service;
• To spearhead a new formula on pay and pensions;
• To create a joint register of interest representatives for the Commission and Parliament;
• To improve the code of conduct for Commissioners;
• To give support to the idea of transnational lists for the European elections, to condense the election period into two days, and to possible move elections from June to May to coincide with ‘Europe Day’.

Members of the Cabinet

Juraj NOCIAR, Head of Cabinet
Bernd BIERVERT, Deputy Head of Cabinet, Relations with the Council, Citizens’ Initiative, External Action Service
Dora CORREIA, Member, European Parliament, National Parliaments, Delegated and Implementing Acts
Marie-Hélène PRADINES, Member, Human Resources
Christian LINDER, Member, Transparency Initiative
Gabriela KEČKÉŠOVÁ, Member, Relations with the European Parliament and National Parliaments

Michael MANN, Spokesperson

 

Main actions to date

• Launching the Citizens’ initiative proposal on March 31. This initiative allows European citizens to directly suggest legislation to the Commission. It would require at least a million signatories collected over 12 months, from at least one third of Member States, with minimum numbers of signatories for each Member State. This initiative would oblige the Commission to produce a Communication, but not necessarily legislation;
• Seeking a stronger role for the Economic and Social Committee and greater cooperation with National Parliaments, following the new powers given to both by the Lisbon Treaty.

What to expect

While this is by no means the most glamorous of posts, it carries a wide range of responsibilities, especially under the Lisbon Treaty. Mr Šefčovič’s experience as a diplomat has given him a profound insight into the dynamics of institutional relations, and his level-headedness and speedy career advancement is testament to his mastery of this real life chess game. With an ongoing, inter-institutional argument over the staffing and control of the External Action Service and the growing role for national parliaments under Lisbon, it would appear the Mr Šefčovič’s skills are right for the job.