European Commission appoints new Director-General for Regional and Urban Policy

Source: European Commission (EC) i, published on Wednesday, June 22 2016.

Mr Lemaître, a national from Luxembourg, is currently Director of the Office for Administration and Payment of individual entitlements (PMO). He will take up his new role on 1 September. Mr Lemaître will succeed current Director-General Mr Walter Deffaa, who will retire on that date.

Mr Lemaître brings 20 years of profound experience in European affairs, both in the European Commission and in the diplomatic service of Luxembourg. Between 1996 and 2006, he worked in the Permanent Representation of Luxembourg to the European Union, dealing with budgetary, trade and general affairs issues, including the preparation and negotiation of the Multiannual Financial Framework for 2007-2013.

Mr Lemaître joined the Commission in 2007 as Head of the private office of Regional Policy Commissioner, Danuta Hübner i, and then her successor, Paweł Samecki i. Between 2010 and 2013, Mr Lemaître led the private office of Budget Commissioner Janusz Lewandowski i, a period during which the present Multiannual Financial Framework (2014-2020) was prepared and agreed. Since 2013, he has managed the PMO, a department of nearly 600 staff.

Background:

EU regional policy is an investment policy. It supports job creation, competitiveness, economic growth, improved quality of life and sustainable development.

DG REGIO, with a team of 700 staff, oversees the EU's regional spending, which amounts to €260 billion euro for the period 2014-2020.

More information:

IP/16/2267

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