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Article: EU trade chief’s resignation sparks race to fill role
04 September 2020
On Wednesday night (26 August), Phil Hogan resigned as European
Commissioner for Trade following public outcry that he broke
COVID-19 social distancing guidelines during a recent trip to
Ireland.
In a statement, he wrote that it had become "clear that the
controversy concerning my recent visit to Ireland was becoming a
distraction from my work as an EU Commissioner".
It means his head is the latest to roll following 'golfgate', a
controversy sparked by an Irish golf dinner on 19 August where
several leading politicians, including Hogan, did not respect
social distancing guidelines. The scandal had already taken the
scalp of the country's new agriculture minister, Dara Calleary.
Hogan had tried to resist calls for his resignation and for a
period it looked like he might survive, but details continued to
emerge about his overall trip to Ireland and an interview on 23
August put the final nail in his Commissioner's coffin.
Hogan told Irish broadcaster RTE that despite travelling from a
red-list country, Belgium, he did not quarantine for 14 days
because he tested negative for COVID-19 soon after his arrival. He
said he based his decision on information from the country's
Citizens Information Board, but the public website quickly refuted
that claim and said he "got it wrong", releasing a statement
explaining that Hogan should have respected the full 14-day
quarantine.
The breach of guidelines saw Hogan's eventual resignation and
has already sparked a race to fill his empty seat in the European
Commission cabinet.
The Irish government are moving quickly to try keep hold of the
EU executive's trade portfolio - considering their economic and
social vulnerability to Brexit. IHS Markit understands that David
O'Sullivan, ex-EU ambassador to the US, could be an early contender
as well as former Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar. But other
member states are also reportedly vying to take Hogan's seat
because his role is one of the most lucrative of Commissioner
positions.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will most likely
prioritise damage control as her Commission has already lost from
the scandal - the cabinet's reputation is undermined while her
political objectives risk being side-tracked during a long and
sensitive restructuring. All of these factors may lead her to push
member states to accept a quick fix, which could see Ireland keep
the trade portfolio.
Reaction
Whether Hogan was pushed or jumped is still unclear, but it was
obvious that his position had become untenable following public
outrage in his home country. Several Irish politicians had been
calling for Hogan to step down, including, most recently, the
country's health minister.
A statement from Ireland's ruling party leaders - Taoiseach
Michel Martin (Fianna Fail), Tánaiste Leo Varadkar (Fine Gael) and
Green Party leader Eamon Ryan - following Hogan's resignation said:
"We believe that it is the correct course of action given the
circumstances of the past week.
"We all have a responsibility to support and adhere to public
health guidelines and regulations."
But Commission officials were generally dismayed by the news of
Hogan's departure. Sabine Weyand, the EU executive's top civil
servant for trade policy, wrote on Twitter that the resignation was
a "sad day".
"We will sorely miss you Phil Hogan, your stamina, dedication
and negotiating talent, in dealing with the many challenges the
global economy and EU trade face," she said.
Legacy
Hogan earned a strong reputation in Brussels for fighting for EU
interests during his time as Trade and Agriculture Commissioner,
earning him respect from the largest European agri-food
associations.
Pekka Pesonen, secretary-general of Copa-Cogeca, the EU's
biggest farm lobby, said yesterday (26 August) that Hogan should
stay as Commissioner because he was so effective during his
six-year tenure in the EU executive.
"He is a strong supporter of EU's common policies in agriculture
and trade and has been an important asset in both Jean-Claude
Junker's and von der Leyen's Commissions," he said.
Ulrich Adams, director general of Spirits Europe, also thanked
Hogan for his "leadership, visionary and determined approach to
boost sustainable competitiveness of EU agriculture".
Hogan is still adamant that he did not break any laws, but
admits he did breach Irish social distancing guidelines. In his
parting words, he hopes the scandal will not tarnish his political
legacy.
"I am proud of my record and achievements as European
Commissioner and I hope history will judge them favourably, when
the final assessment is made," he said.