Reshuffle of Commission’s senior posts

Date: 25/07/1996

By Rory Watson

THE imminent appointment of four new European Commission directors-general will pave the way for the most extensive reshuffle in the institution's top echelons for years.

Commission President Jacques Santer and his colleagues are preparing to promote two senior officials to the organisation's highest posts and to move two existing directors-general to different departments.

Under the plans examined by Commissioners last week, Colette Flesch, former Luxembourg foreign minister and current director-general of DGX (information) would become head of the translation service. Her Danish colleague Steffen Smidt, who played a key role in the last round of enlargement talks, would move from his development (DGVIII) director-general post to become head of the personnel department under Finnish Commissioner Erkki Liikanen.

Michel Vanden Abeele is poised to leave his present role as Competition Commissioner Karel Van Miert's chef de Cabinet to replace Smidt in DGVIII, although the move has run into opposition from Development Commissioner João de Deus Pinheiro.

Spokesman Klaus van der Pas, who took up his high-profile post in January 1995, is tipped to take over responsibility for organising the Commission's information policy from Flesch.

The changes to be made in the autumn will be followed by a number of other appointments.

A decision still has to be made on Horst Krenzler's successor as director-general of DGI (external economic relations) and some observers expect to see new faces at the head of other directorates-general, particularly the embattled DGXXIII (tourism).

Internal promotions will have knock-on effects as other senior posts become vacant and the Commissioners, under pressure from their own governments, are forced to juggle candidates' ability with demands for specific national flags on top posts.