Commission decided on a number of appointments concerning its top management level that will help the Juncker Commission deliver strongly in 2018/2019 and beyond.

Last Wednesday, Jean-Eric Paquet, a French national and career civil servant in Brussels, has been appointed by the Commission as the European Commission's new director-general for research and innovation.

With 23 years of experience in the European Commission, Mr. Paquet has most recently helped shaping the European Commission's proposals for deepening the Economic and Monetary Union and for an Industrial Policy Strategy. He also served as the Deputy Head of Cabinet of former Commissioner for Research, Philippe Busquin, which makes him suited for the new position.

Mr. Paquet will start his official capacity as Director-general for Research and Innovation on 1 April 2018, replacing Robert-Jan Smits who will become Hors Classe Advisers in the European Political Strategy Centre (EPSC, the Commission's internal think tank).