Finland’s Henna Virkkunen has been appointed as the Executive Vice President for Tech Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy in the next college of commissioners by President Ursula von der Leyen. She will be responsible for digital matters and frontier technologies, overseeing the Digital Decade strategy and implementing landmark platforms regulations. France’s Stéphane Séjourné will take over the industry portfolio, focusing on prosperity and industrial strategy. Bulgaria’s Ekaterina Zaharieva will become Commissioner for research and innovation, while Ireland’s Michael McGrath will be in charge of democracy, justice, and the rule of law. These nominees will face hearings in the European Parliament before officially starting their roles on December 1st. The appointments have received mixed reactions, with support from tech lobby groups and criticism from political opponents. The new College of Commissioners is expected to lead efforts to enhance the EU’s digital competitiveness, promote innovation, and protect consumer rights while addressing challenges such as security and democracy.
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Henna Virkkunen appointed as Vice President of the European Commission for technology sovereignty
