Spaniard Daniel Calleja has assumed managerial power in the environmental department of the European Commission (EC) after President Jean-Claude Juncker reshuffled a third of the department chiefs.
Following a handover from Karl Falkenberg on Tuesday (1 September), Calleja holds the top position at the Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENVI).
Calleja will manage the department, leading a team of around 500 staff members split into six thematic units. The department’s policy and strategy will continue to be dictated by Commissioner for Environment, Maritime affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella.
Prior to the reshuffle, Calleja, a Spanish citizen, was Director-General of DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, a role he had held since January 2012.
In total, he has worked for the commission since 1986, holding positions in the DG Enterprise and Industry and as Director of Air Transport.
Karl Falkenberg, the outgoing Director-General, will assume the role of Senior Advisor for Sustainable Development at the European Political Strategy Centre (EPSC), the EU’s in-house think tank.
Falkenberg, who was made DG Environment Director-General in January 2009, is expected to continue to be involved in the development of the EC’s Circular Economy Package, which is due to be presented before the end of the year.
The reshuffle coincides with the retirement of the senior civil servant at the EC, Secretary-General Catherine Day, who is being replaced by Dutchman Alexander Italianer, the current Director-General of Competition.
Custom at the EC dictates that senior managers are required to change jobs every five years, with exceptions only made in special circumstances. However Juncker, who assumed office in November 2014, has previously said that stability offered by high-performing teams would be preferred over the ‘strict and automatic application’ of staff shuffling rules.
Find out more about Juncker’s reshuffle or the Directorate-Generate for Environment.
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How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.