Romanian MEP Adina Vălean (51) will become the new EU Commissioner for Transport, according to incoming Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Sources close to the German politician report that she chose Vălean because of her extensive experience in European politics, including in transport policy.
The new Romanian government proposed both Vălean and Siegfried Mureșan as candidates. Von der Leyen interviewed both immediately. Both gave good presentations, but partly because she wants an equal number of men and women in her team, she selected Vălean. The member of the Christian Democratic European People's Party (EPP) currently serves as chair of the Industry Committee in the European Parliament.
On November 14, Vălean will be heard by the Transport Committee of the Commission. As a Romanian citizen, she replaces Corina Crețu as European Commissioner for Regional Policy in the outgoing Commission led by Jean-Claude Juncker.
Vălean’s appointment ends an impasse of nearly two months over Romania’s proposal for the portfolio. At the end of September, the European Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee stated that Romanian MEP Rovana Plumb, initially proposed by Bucharest, had a conflict of interest for that role. Three other Romanian candidates subsequently proposed by the former Social Democratic government were either rejected by the Commission or withdrawn.
Commission President Von der Leyen’s team is now almost complete. She had already accepted the candidates put forward by France and Hungary last week. Only the British have not yet nominated a commissioner.
The European Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee will now assess whether there is any conflict of interest concerning the candidates from France, Hungary, and Romania. Afterwards, they must undergo hearings. The plan is for the Parliament to approve the entire Commission by the end of November so that the team can start on December 1.