Appointment of Didier Reynders as European Commissioner for Justice

Summary:

Reports, analyses and information on the appointment of Belgium's Didier Reynders as European Commissioner for Justice, in the European Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen.

Further information:

Didier Reynders is a former foreign affairs and finance minister in Belgium and gathered experience on a number of policy areas. Mr Reynders was picked by the national government in late August 2019 and was formally announced on 9 September 2019 by the President of the European Commission. His portfolio was known on the following day, set to take on the role as the European Commissioner for Justice. After the announcement, he was subject of a corruption investigation, which was later dropped by authorities.

The relevant committees of the European Parliament held a hearing with Mr Reynders on 2 October in order to assess his capabilities to lead the portfolio, which includes matter relating to the rule of law. Media sources later reported that he had been approved as a suitable candidate.

Commentary and Analysis

Wikipedia: Didier Reynders https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didier_Reynders

EPRS: Briefing, September 2019: Hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Didier Reynders - Justice https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2019)642198

EPRS: Briefing, October 2019: Commitments made at the hearing of Didier REYNDERS, Commissioner-designate - Justice https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=IPOL_BRI(2019)621923

---

News

Politico, 24/08/2019: Belgium picks Foreign Minister Didier Reynders to be EU commissioner https://www.politico.eu/article/didier-reynders-belgium-european-commission/

EUObserver, 26/08/2019: Belgium: Parties clash on Reynders as EU commissioner https://euobserver.com/news/145726

EUObserver, 11/09/2019: Reynders is the new Timmermans on rule of law https://euobserver.com/political/145917

Politico, 14/09/2019: Didier Reynders, Belgium’s Commission pick, under police investigation https://www.politico.eu/article/belgium-commission-pick-under-investigation-didier-reynders/

Deutsche Welle, 15/09/2019: EU nominee Reynders facing probe, claim Belgian newspapers https://p.dw.com/p/3Pdh7

EUObserver, 16/09/2019: Belgium's EU nominee faces crime probe https://euobserver.com/institutional/145948

EurActiv, 16/09/2019: Belgian Commissioner-pick faces corruption probe https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/belgian-commissioner-pick-faces-corruption-probe/

Politico, 27/09/2019: Belgian prosecutors drop investigation into Didier Reynders https://www.politico.eu/article/belgian-prosecutors-drop-investigation-into-didier-reynders/

The Brussels Times, 30/09/2019: Former investigator files death-threat complaint against Didier Reynders https://www.brusselstimes.com/all-news/belgium-all-news/70859/former-investigator-files-death-threat-complaint-against-didier-reynders/

EUObserver, 30/09/2019: Belgium's EU nominee still embroiled in legal feud https://euobserver.com/justice/146122

Reuters, 01/10/2019: Belgium's pick for EU Commission faces new graft accusation https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKBN1WG4FW

The Brussels Times, 02/10/2019: Didier Reynders receives rave reviews from Belgian Euro-parliamentarians following audition https://www.brusselstimes.com/all-news/belgium-all-news/71288/didier-reynders-receives-rave-reviews-from-belgian-euro-parliamentarians-following-audition/

EUObserver, 02/10/2019: Belgium's EU nominee sails through, despite allegations https://euobserver.com/justice/146143

---

Official

European Commission: President-elect von der Leyen’s Mission Letter to Didier Reynders https://ec.europa.eu/commission/files/president-elect-von-der-leyens-mission-letter-didier-reynders_en

European Parliament: Didier Reynders’s replies to the European Parliament questionnaire https://www.europarl.europa.eu/resources/library/media/20190927RES62432/20190927RES62432.pdf

European Parliament: Press Release, 02/10/2019: Hearing of Commissioner-designate Didier Reynders https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20190926IPR62237/

European Parliament: Public Hearing of Commissioner-designate Didier Reynders, 2 October 2019 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/hearings2019/commission-hearings-2019/20190910STO60736/didier-reynders-belgium

---