Role of special advisers
Special advisers are selected based on their expertise and qualifications. There are two types:
Non-institutional special advisers provide direct assistance to the President, the Vice-Presidents and the Commissioners of the European Commission.
Institutional special advisers assist institutional bodies of the Commission.
General information on aspects of remuneration/days of work
Special Advisers work on a short-term basis for a very limited number of days per year (on average around 25) and these days may be remunerated or not (they are not for former Commission officials for instance). The amount of the fees per day of service is in principle set at three separate levels: 1/22 of the basic salary of an official on the first step in grade AD9, AD10 or AD12.
Appointing special advisers
Each special adviser must sign a document declaring that there is no conflict of interest between their duties as adviser to the European Commission and their other activities.
19 JUNE 2017
Rules for special advisers C(2014) 541
English
(77.72 KB - PDF)
20 JUNE 2017
Rules for special advisers (C(2007) 6655)
English
(310.13 KB - PDF)
20 OCTOBER 2020
Special Advisers - Privacy Statement
English
(567.78 KB - PDF)
List of designated Special Advisers: Past
19 NOVEMBER 2021
Special Advisers to the President and Commissioners of the European Commission - Exercice 2021
English
(20.96 MB - ZIP)
5 MARCH 2021
Special Advisers to the President and Commissioners of the European Commission - Exercice 2020 (1/04/2020-31/03/2021 - unless otherwise stated) : Curriculum vitae and Declaration of honour
English
(37.14 MB - ZIP)
5 DECEMBER 2019
Special Advisers to the President and Commissioners of the European Commission 2019 : Curriculum vitae and Declaration of honour
English
(17.04 MB - ZIP)
1 APRIL 2018
Special Advisers to the President and Commissioners of the European Commission 2018: Curriculum vitae and Declaration of honour
English
(15.92 MB - ZIP)
26 MARCH 2018
Special Advisers to the President and Commissioners of the European Commission 2017
English
(23.44 MB - ZIP)
1 FEBRUARY 2018
Special Advisers to the President and Commissioners of the European Commission 2016
English
(24.35 MB - ZIP)
1 FEBRUARY 2018
Special Advisers to the President and Commissioners of the European Commission 2015
English
(10.75 MB - ZIP)
List of designated Special Advisers: Current
1 APRIL 2022
Special Advisers to the President and Commissioners of the European Commission - Exercice 2022
English
(39.62 MB - ZIP)
| Cabinet | Name | Mission | Period from 01/04/2022 until 31/03/2023 - unless otherwise stated |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. von der Leyen | Mr Peter Piot | Chief Scientific Advisor Epidemics: Advising the President of the European Commission on policy, initiatives and outreach related to European and global health security in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and other international health threats | |
| 2. Timmermans | Dr Luuk Van Middelaar | To advise on inter-institutional perspectives on the green deal, in particular on developments in the Council | |
| 2. Timmermans | Ms Adélaïde Charlier | To give the perspective of youngsters on Green Deal and Climate policies | |
| 3. Vestager | Mr Michael E. Caspersen | To advise the EVP on digital education and skills | |
| 4. Dombrovskis | Ms Inna Šteinbuka | To advise on deepening of the Economic and Monetary Union and the European Semester | |
| 4. Dombrovskis | Mr Niels Thygesen | Chair of the European Fiscal Board | (from 20/10/2021 until 19/10/2022 - end of mandate) |
| 4. Dombrovskis | Mr Massimo Bordignon | Member of the European Fiscal Board | (from 20/10/2021 until 19/10/2022 - end of mandate) |
| 4. Dombrovskis | Mr Mateusz Szczurek | Member of the European Fiscal Board | (from 20/10/2021 until 19/10/2022 - end of mandate) |
| 4. Dombrovskis | Mr Roel Beetsma | Member of the European Fiscal Board | (from 20/10/2021 until 19/10/2022 -end of mandate) |
| 4. Dombrovskis | Mr Xavier Debrun | Member of the European Fiscal Board | (started on 9/09/2020 - from 20/10/2021 until 8/09/2023) |
| 5. Borrell | Mr Federico Steinberg | To advise the HR/VP on global economic governance | |
| 5. Borrell | Ms Érika Rodríguez Pinzón | To advise the HR/VP on EU relations with Latin America | |
| 6. Šefčovič | Mr Bertrand Piccard | To advise the Vice-President on emerging mega-trends affecting the EU, with a focus on decarbonisation and circular economy, and to contribute to the brainstorming on strategic foresight priorities, in particular those related to the green transition and challenges of sustainability | |
| 6. Šefčovič | Ms Pascale Ehrenfreund | To cooperate directly with and advise the Vice-President on shaping the strategic foresight agenda and mobilising key stakeholders to carry it forward | |
| 6. Šefčovič | Ms Kristel Van Der Elst | To advise the Vice-President on emerging mega-trends affecting the EU, with a focus on dealing with uncertainty and transformative resilience, and to contribute to the brainstorming around global shifts and security challenges | |
| 7. Jourová | Ms Peggy Valčke | To advise the Vice-President on media pluralism and freedom, in particular on the upcoming Media Freedom Act | |
| 10. Hahn | Mr Jean-Claude Juncker | Former President of the European Commission | (from 5/12/2021 to 4/12/2023) |
| 10. Hahn | Mr Franz Schausberger | To advise for better integration and information of the regional and local level on implementing the EU budget in Member States, enlargement countries and countries of the EU neighbourhood. To inform about the EU financial and budget policy to implement goals of the European Commission at subnational level | |
| 11. McGuinness | Dr Aidan Regan | To provide advice on the communication and implementation of policy within the portfolio of the Commissioner | |
| 12. Gabriel | Mr Pascal Mangin | To advise on holistic and regional approach to our actions in favour of the cultural and creative sector | |
| 13. Schmit | Mr Nicolas Hazard | To carry out a fact-finding mission in view of the Action Plan on Social Economy | |
| 13. Schmit | Mr Lodewijk Asscher | To assist and coordinate the efforts of the European Commission to promote social integration of Ukrainian refugees in terms of work, housing, education and healthcare in member states | (from 16/06/2022 to 31/03/2023) |
| 14. Gentiloni | Mr Stefano Manservisi | To advise on dialogue with third countries on matters relevant for key aspects of the portfolio (international role of the Euro, taxation systems, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)) | |
| 14. Gentiloni | Prof. Melinda Mills | To advise the Commissioner on socio-economic matters | |
| 14. Gentiloni | Mr Vieri Ceriani | To advise on strengthening tax policy coordination in a postCovid environment by incorporating the objectives of green transition and fostering the synergies within the portfolio competences | |
| 15. Wojciechowski | Mr Mark Rogerson | To provide strategic advice on and formulation of the communications strategy for the Commissioner and his Cabinet | |
| 17. Ferreira | Mr Joaquim Oliveira Martins | To provide advice and knowledge in the field of Cohesion policy, synergies between Cohesion and innovation and entrepreneurship, regional development and growth | |
| 18. Kyriakides | Mr Alberto Costa | To advise on EU policy on cancer and implementation of the EU Beating Cancer Plan | |
| 19. Reynders | Mr Yves-Alexandre de Montjoye | To advise the Commissioner on the strategy on initiatives concerning data protection and privacy as well as on matters related to Artificial Intelligence | |
| 19. Reynders | Ms Anne Weyembergh | To advise on the development of an EU criminal law policy (transfer of criminal proceedings initiative, victim’s rights, promotion of procedural rights) | |
| 20. Dalli | Dr Michaela Muscat Spaak | To advise on the development of a communication strategy to promote a positive vision for equality and human rights to an international audience | |
| 23. Vălean | Mr Wim Van De Camp | To provide advice on the broad range of transport items | |
| 24. Várhelyi | Dr Endre Juhász | Giving legal and political advice to the Commissioner in relation to accession negotiations with the Western Balkans partners and in particular the constitutional process of Bosnia and Herzegovina | |
| 25. Urpilainen | Ms Ritva Reinikka | To advise on Education in International Partnerships | |
| 25. Urpilainen | Ms Nur Qyira Izzati Yusri | To advise on Youth in International Partnerships | |
| 27. Sinkevičius | Mr Karmenu Vella | Advising on sustainability in various sectoral policies under the responsibility of Commissioner Sinkevičius, as well as in a wider context of the European Green Deal | (from 16/06/2022 to 31/03/2023) |
| Cabinet | Name | Role | Exercice 2022 (1/04/2022-31/03/2023 - unless otherwise stated) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10. Hahn | Mr Arjen W.H. Meij | President of the Disciplinary Board | |
| 10. Hahn | Mr Jean-Pierre Garitte | External Member of the Audit Progress Committee | |
| 10. Hahn | Mr Jean Fossion | External Member of the Audit Progress Committee | |
| 10. Hahn | Ms Maria Isabel Rofes i Pujol | Présidente de L'Instance visée à l'Article 143 du Règlement (UE, Euratom) N° 2018/1046 | (17/11/2021-16/11/2023) |
| 10. Hahn | Mr Igors LudborŽs | Vice-président de L'Instance visée à l'Article 143 du Règlement (UE, Euratom) N° 2018/1046 | (17/11/2021-16/11/2023) |
| 10. Hahn | Mr Ray Portelli | Participation as an external member in the work and meetings of the Commission’s Audit Progress Committee, which is an oversight body with no management powers. The APC Charter (C(C2020)1165) requires the Committee to have at least three external members. | (01/09/2022-31/03/2023) |
| 10. Hahn | Ms Julia Laffranque | Controller of procedural guarantees in the context of investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office. | (13/09/2022 until 12/09/2024) |
| Cabinet | Name | Role | Exercice 2021 (1/04/2022-31/03/2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17. Ferreira | Mr Francisco García Morán | To provide support in the field of digital policies, e-government, IT governance, IT security and IT organization, operations and services | 1/04/2021-31/03/2022 |
| 17. Ferreira | Ms Paraskevi Gilchrist | To advise on the practical implementation of the Technical Support Instrument provisions relevant to the Recovery and Resilience Facility | 1/04/2021-31/03/2022 |