Carlos Moedas
Courtesy EC

Portughese economist Carlos Moedas has been nominated as new European Union commissioner for research, science and innovation. Spain’s Miguel Arias Cañete, a lawyer, has been nominated as commissioner for energy and climate change.

Commission president Jean-Claude Junker announced the two nominations, along with those of the 26 other commissioners, on 10 September.

The commission has to be approved by the European Parliament before taking office on 1 November, and this may not be a shoo-in. In 2007 the Parliament exercised this veto right because it disapproved of one proposed commissioner, and the commission president had to submit a new line-up.

Miguel Arias Cañete
Courtesy EC

Arias Cañete’s appointment in particular could prove controversial. Parliament might ask him to prove that he is not sexist — despite his widely publicized comments during a debate earlier this year in which he expressed his difficulty in politically challenging a woman for fear of “cornering” someone defenceless.

The new research commission will oversee the progress of the European Union’s €80-billion (US$103-billion) Horizon 2020 research programme, which launched this year.