Statement from President von der Leyen on the composition of the College and the next European Commissioner from The Netherlands

I have interviewed the candidate put forward by the Dutch government for the post of European Commissioner from The Netherlands, Mr Wopke Hoekstra.

Mr Hoekstra showed strong motivation for the post and great commitment to the European Union. He also has relevant professional experience for this post.

Following this interview, I have decided to propose to the Council and the European Parliament the appointment of Mr Hoekstra to the post of Commissioner. He will be in charge of climate action, under the guidance of the Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight.

Mr Hoekstra has significant experience on European issues, having been Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands and Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2022, and Minister of Finance from 2017 to 2022.

His governmental experience will be a strong asset in particular for Europe's climate diplomacy in the run-up to COP28 and for climate finance, as well as for the implementation of climate-related legislative instruments.

Mr Hoekstra stressed during the interview his commitment to continuing an ambitious climate policy and to maintaining a social balance in all necessary joint efforts on the road to climate neutrality.