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The new college of European commissioners has been voted through after an MEP vote in Strasbourg on Wednesday.
The 26-strong commissioner lineup sees Luxembourg’s Christophe Hansen appointed European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food.
Fine Gael MEPs Maria Walsh, Nina Carbery, Sean Kelly and Regina O'Doherty voted in favour of the new commissioners, as did Fianna Fáil’s Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, Billy Kelleher, Barry Cowen and Barry Andrews.
Four Irish MEPs voted against the new commissioners - Sinn Féin’s two MEPs Kathleen Funchion and Lynn Boylan, as well as independent Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan and Labour’s Aodhán Ó Ríordáin.
Independent Ireland MEP Ciarán Mollooly and Independent Michael McNamara both abstained.
Farm commissioner
Commissioner Hansen was re-elected as a European People's Party (EPP) MEP during the summer’s European elections.
The clock is now ticking for the new chief of agri-food policy in Brussels to outline a “vision for the future of EU agriculture” within the next 100 days, as was pledged by the Commission president.
This vision is to set the scene for the post-2027 CAP negotiations and respond to the output from the cross-industry strategic dialogue on the future of EU agriculture.
The dialogue’s final report called for CAP payments to be channelled to the farmers “who need it most”, suggesting that these include small farmers, young farmers, mixed farms and those farming in areas of natural constraint.
Tackling over-regulation
Speaking to the European Parliament before the vote, Commission president Ursula von der Leyen told MEPs that new top table in Brussels is prepared to tackle over-regulation and the EU’s lagging competitiveness compared with others around the globe.
“For Europe to catch up, we will also need to make things easier for our companies,” von der Leyen said.
“They are telling us that the regulatory burden weighs heavily on them. Too much reporting. Too many overlaps. And too complex and costly to comply with.”
She also said that farmers deserve a “fair and sufficient income” and to be provided with the “right incentives to help protect our nature”.
“Farmers and fishers give us the highest-quality food in the world. They bear the brunt of climate change more than anybody,” MEPs heard.
“And they deserve a level playing field and their hard work to be rewarded.”
Neither trade with the UK post-Brexit nor with the US post-Donald Trump’s re-election to the presidency featured in von der Leyen’s speech.
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