Arias Cañete

canete

New EU Commission: Spain gets Energy, Climate, but less power

MADRID | By Julia Pastor/The Corner | Spain is at minimums in terms of EU representation. No seat at the ECB. No relevant post in the new Commission either. Centre-right politician from the ruling Popular Party (PP) Miguel Arias Cañete was appointed Europe’s climate action and energy policy commissioner (those portfolios are merged for the first time). But he will be reporting to vice president Alenka Bratushek. Bottom line, an interesting job without sufficient weight to compensate the loss of Competence. UK’s Jonathan Hill will shape the EU’s Financial policy, a move that aims to tend a bridge between Brussels and the City of London.

 


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EU elections: Sexist remark ruins Spain prospects

MADRID | By J.P. Marín Arrese | The Spanish centre-right leading candidate for the European Parliament has been the center of a sexist row for the last week. And his biggest mistake might be that he only acknowledged the devastating blunder his last remark meant (he said he was worried about ‘cornering a defenseless woman’ in the debate against his socialist rival Elena Valenciano) when socialist MEPs denounced his attitude as utterly inappropriate.  His apologies come too late. Mr Arias Cañete is bound to suffer widespread criticism during the hearing process for appointing the next Commission.