Commissioners Ansip and Cretu to sit in Parliament
Two European commissioners, Andrus Ansip from Estonia, vice-president of the Commission with responsibility for the digital market, and Corina Creţu from Romania, responsible for regional policy, will give up their posts to sit in the European Parliament following their election in May. The President of the Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, informed the Council of this and, with a concern for economy, asked that they should not be replaced for the end of the mandate. Two other elected commissioners, Valdis Dombrovskis from Latvia, vice-president for the euro and social dialogue, and Mariya Gabriel from Bulgaria, responsible for the digital economy and society, decided to keep their positions and will not sit in Parliament. Finally, Frans Timmermans, first vice-president of the Commission, has not yet said whether or not he will sit in Parliament because he is still the candidate for the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats for the position of President of the European Commission.