European Commissioners Virginijus Sinkevicius and Adina Valean have resigned to take up their seats in the European Parliament, the Commission's press service announced on Monday.
Sinkevicius, who is from Lithuania, was responsible for the environment, oceans and fishing, while Valean, from Romania, handled transport. Both were elected in June's European polls, Sinkevicius for the Union of Democrats "For Lithuania" and Valean for the Romania's National Liberal Party.
The inaugural session of the incoming parliament takes place on Tuesday in Strasbourg.
Slovak Maros Sefcovic, Vice President of the Commission overseeing the Green Deal, has temporarily assumed Sinkevicius’s duties, while Wopke Hoekstra of the Netherlands, responsible for climate action, has taken over Valean’s.
A new European Commission is expected by Autumn.
Before then, outgoing president Ursula von der Leyen, nominated to lead the new European executive by EU Heads of State and Government, needs to be elected by the European Parliament. This secret ballot is scheduled for Thursday.
