The key European Commissioner for Europe’s food industry over the next four years will be Mariann Fischer Boel, of Denmark, her country’s current agriculture minister and a liberal.

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Boel, 61, was appointed to take office from November by incoming Commission president José Durão Barroso as agriculture commissioner. Unlike the current incumbent, Franz Fischler, she will not have to deal with fisheries. This job has gone to Malta’s Joe Borg. The reduced responsibilities will allow Boel to concentrate on the key World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations, working with new trade commissioner – former British cabinet minister Peter Mandelson.


Meanwhile, Barroso has appointed Cyprus’ Markos Kyprianou as the new consumer affairs and health commissioner.

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