The new Commission will now have to be approved, as a whole, by a qualified majority in both the European Parliament and the Council of the EU. Commissioners-designate will be appearing in individual hearings before Parliamentary Committees on January 11-19, while the vote of consent is expected to take place on January 26.

Currently, Mr Dalli’s portfolio is overseen by 2 Commissioners: Cypriot Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou is in charge of health while Bulgarian Commissioner Meglena Kuneva is in charge of consumer protection. Ms Kuneva will not be forming part of the next Commission, while Ms Vassiliou is set to be Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and the Youth.

Mr Dalli succeeds Joe Borg, who is responsible for maritime affairs. Joe Borg’s role will now be taken over by Greek Commissioner-designate Maria Damanaki.

Denmark’s Connie Hedegaard is set to become Climate Commissioner, a portfolio which the country has lobbied for, while French Commissioner-designate Michel Barnier is set to become Internal Market Commissioner, despite British concerns.

Seven Commissioners have been made Vice-Presidents, including Catherine Ashton, who was appointed to the Lisbon Treaty-created role of High Representative of Foreign Affairs. In view of her role, she will not be replacing the President in his absence, despite her position as first Vice-President.

In a statement, the Nationalist Party said that the portfolio allocated to Mr Dalli honoured Malta, noting the importance of both health and consumer affairs.

"Through John Dalli, our country proved that its small size does not hinder it from contributing to the EU," the party said.

 

Listen to John Dalli comment on his portfolio

The proposed portfolios are as follows:

• Joaquín Almunia (Spain): Competition (Vice-President)
• László Andor (Hungary): Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
• Baroness Catherine Ashton (UK): High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security (Vice-President)
• Michel Barnier (France): Internal Market and Services.
• Dacian Cioloș (Romania): Agriculture and Rural Development.
• John Dalli (Malta): Health and Consumer Policy.
• Maria Damanaki (Greece): Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.
• Karel de Gucht (Belgium): Trade.
• Štefan Füle (Czech Republic): Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy
• Johannes Hahn (Austria): Regional Policy
• Connie Hedegaard (Denmark): Climate Action
• Maire Geoghegan-Quinn (Ireland): Research and Innovation
• Rumiana Jeleva (Bulgaria): International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response
• Siim Kallas: Transport (Vice-President)
• Neelie Kroes (Netherlands): Digital Agenda (Vice-President)
• Janusz Lewandowski (Poland): Budget and Financial Programming
• Cecilia Malmström (Sweden): Home Affairs
• Günter Oettinger (Germany): Energy
• Andris Piebalgs (Latvia): Development
• Janez Potočnik (Slovenia): Environment
• Viviane Reding (Luxembourg): Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship (Vice-President)
• Olli Rehn (Finland): Economic and Monetary Affairs
• Maroš Šefčovič (Slovakia): Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration (Vice-President)
• Algirdas Šemeta (Lithuania): Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud
• Antonio Tajani (Italy): Industry and Entrepreneurship (Vice-President)
• Androulla Vassiliou (Cyprus): Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth

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