The Polish Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski has been nominated by Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen to take over the role of Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development in Brussels today.

Outgoing Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan will move to trade, where one of his jobs will be to lead the EU negotiations of a future free trade deal with the UK post-Brexit.

Wojciechowski is former MEP and current member of the European Court of Auditors.

Convergence

It is expected that he will have a strong focus on pushing convergence and, while Hogan’s proposals suggested achieving 75% by the end of the next CAP in 2027, the outgoing agriculture committee voted for 100%, which is likely to find favour with a Polish commissioner.

Wojciechowski is also known to have a strong interest in animal welfare and Irish farmers will be watching with interest his views on livestock exports.

While an MEP, Wojciechowski was a member of the European Conservatives and Reformist (ECR) grouping, with which UK Conservative party members are affiliated, as was Northern Ireland MEP Jim Nicholson.

Once the portfolios are announced by the incoming Commission president, the commissioners have to receive approval of the EU Parliament before their appointments are confirmed.

Phil Hogan: what faces the new Trade Commissioner?

Polish commissioner will replace Hogan in agriculture

Outgoing Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan will move to trade, while he will be replaced by Janusz Wojciechowski of the Law and Justice Party in Poland.