Brussels, 17 June 2024 – Today, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas will attend an informal meeting of the European Council in Brussels to discuss the procedures and filling of top positions in the European Union institutions.
According to the prime minister, it is important that the discussion on the top positions is constructive and proceeds without delays. “This year’s European Parliament elections took place at a very crucial time. We face a number of important choices that will determine the future of Europe,” Kallas stressed. “It is important to get all the institutions quickly running again with new compositions.”
Last week, the government also confirmed Estonia’s official positions for negotiations on the top positions. It is important for Estonia that at least one top position is filled by a person who is well acquainted with the key issues and security conditions in the region.
Today’s meeting in Brussels is officially the first meeting between the leaders where the top positions are being discussed. Usually, the EU top positions are considered to be the President of the European Commission, the President of the European Parliament, the President of the European Council, and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
While appointments to the top positions could be made as early as the next European Council at the end of next week, it will take several more months to establish the new composition of the entire European Commission. First, the candidate for president of the Commission has to obtain a mandate from the European Parliament, after which the Member States present their candidate commissioners, among whom the president candidate divides up the portfolios. This is followed by hearings of the candidates in the European Parliament. Finally, the approval of the Parliament must be obtained by the entire College of Commissioners.
