Eurosmart’s mapping: European Parliament’s digital Who’s Who

The European Parliament has just appointed its head of committees and most of the political groups their Committees’ coordinators. Based on the past monitoring topic, Eurosmart has crafted a mapping of MEPs that are expected to watch on tech for the starting legislature period. This document is focusing on ITRE, LIBE and IMCO Committees.

An overwhelming majority of MEPs who had worked on technology issues have been reelected and in particular those from the largest German delegations.

Over the next five years, the tech MEPs contingent is expected to double due to the upcoming regulatory challenges such as platform liability, artificial intelligence, 5G security, privacy and the cross-over between internal market and digital (security) policy.

Among known returning MEPs are Spanish telecom expert Pilar del Castillo (EPP), Dutch data protection supporter Sophie in’t Veld (renew Europe), and Greek blockchain champion Eva Kaili (S&D). In the EPP Polish delegation, Róża Thun was reelected depite very active Michał Boni was not. Among the newcomers, are French AI engineer Manuel Bompard (GUE) and Estonian cyber diplomat Marina Kaljurand (S&D).

In the EPP delegation, copyright rapporteur Axel Voss, Andreas Schwab (aka “Google’s Foe”), and the Cyber Act rapporteur Angelika Niebler kept their seats. Influential members from the SPD also managed to save their jobs such as the e-Privacy rapporteur Birgit Sippel, aand taking over Julia Reda’s position four new Pirate Party members, who see technology as an absolute priority, joined the hemicycle.

ENISA’s director selection process

EU member countries are moving towards a final decision on who should lead ENISA, the European Cybersecurity Agency.

Current executive director Udo Helmbrecht's second term ends in mid-October and his replacement is chosen by the management board, which includes the national EU cybersecurity authorities as well as representatives of the European Commission.

The selection procedure that initially would have ended last March has run into trouble. The European Commission issued some problems in drafting its shortlist and national agencies were very sensitive about the selection, leading to a slow process to appoint the director.

According to Politico, Juhan Lepassaar, the former head of cabinet of digital chief Andrus Ansip, is the favorite candidate and one of three nominees to take this job. The other two candidates on the shortlist are national officials from Belgium and Germany. (their names haven’t been communicated)

Juhan Lepassaar has a very different profile than current executive director Udo Helmbrecht, who had spent six years running the German Federal Office for Information Security before taking on the top job at the EU agency in 2009. On his side, Juan Lepassaar has the backing of his home capital Tallinn and boasts a track record of managing key political files from the outgoing European Commission, including its drafting of the Cybersecurity Act itself.

The selection process is approaching its end. The candidates pitched themselves to national representatives last Thursday, and the ENISA board is scheduled to make its selection next week.

According to the Cybersecurity act, The new executive director needs the votes of two-thirds of EU Member States, and must then appear before the European Parliament's industry committee.