Former Brexit chief Maroš Šefčovič is surprise pick for EU trade czar
Dependable Slovak has served in the Commission for 15 years.
BRUSSELS — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen named Maroś Šefčovič as her next trade commissioner Tuesday, putting the long-serving Slovak and point person for the U.K. relationship into the powerful economic post.
Šefčovič’s nomination came as a surprise, after Wopke Hoekstra of the Netherlands and Czech Jozef Síkela were previously linked to the job.
Šefčovič will also oversee customs policy. He will report to France’s Stéphane Séjourné on the trade and economic aspect of his job, while retaining his longstanding role as commissioner for institutional relations and transparency, reporting directly to von der Leyen.
The 58-year-old has served for 15 years in the Commission, building a reputation as an effective, low-key operator. He has occasionally taken on roles in a caretaker capacity.
Šefčovič will step into the trade role just as von der Leyen pivots towards strengthening the EU’s economic security and trade defences, pushing the outright pursuit of free-trade deals down the agenda.
This story has been updated to clarify Šefčovič’s reporting lines.
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