EUROPEAN Commission President-elect Jean-Claude Juncker has named former Irish environment minister Phil Hogan as the next EU Commissioner for Agriculture.
Fifty-four-year-old Commissioner-Designate Hogan will now face questions from the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee and a vote by the full Parliament before he can be confirmed as Commissioner. This hearing is expected to be at the end of September or early October, with the full parliamentary vote in the week of 20th October.
Welcoming the appointment, SNP MEP Alyn Smith and a member of the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee said: "This appointment underlines just how much Scotland has to gain from taking its place as an independent nation within the EU. Not only has Ireland been allocated this role, but other small northern European countries have got top jobs: Sweden will lead EU trade negotiations and Finland the push for jobs and growth."
Irish Farmers Association (IFA) president Eddie Downy said: "There are important decisions ahead for the agriculture section, including the future direction of the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy), excessive EU bureaucracy, climate change restrictions, EU retail legislation and damaging trade deals. The mid-term review of the CAP will be a key opportunity to re-focus towards a CAP that support food production and ensures a viable living forctive, productive farmers.''
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