Sleutelpost voor Ann Mettler
De Europese Commissie maakte de benoeming zo bekend: “President Juncker appointed today Ann Mettler, as Head of the European Commission’s new European Political Strategy Centre. The EPSC is the Commission’s in-house think-tank providing specialised policy advice and forward-looking studies to the President and the College.”
Gedurfd plan
Ann Mettler was de voorbije jaren een regelmatige gesprekspartner van ScienceGuide en legde met haar Lisbon Council ideeën, discussiethema’s en plannen ook via dit medium op tafel. Recent presenteerde zij nog een gedurfd plan voor herschikking en optimalisering van de effectiviteit van de nieuwe Europese Commissie.
In 2012, op het dieptepunt van de eurocrisis, gaf zij in een vraaggesprek uiting aan haar frustratie en diepe zorg over de wending die de discussies in Europa hadden genomen. Men verloor meer en meer de blik voor de kansen voor de lange termijn en leek opgeslokt door paniek.”In the last two years we have been totally preoccupied with the financial and debt crisis. But short-term crisis management and incessant talk about new economic governance models do nothing on their own to stimulate growth and lay a new foundation for prosperity.”
“Honestly, the last two years were at times exasperating for me! The real substance, the growth and job-goals, the wider transformation towards a knowledge-based economy, were often neglected. On the one hand, I’m glad that the topics ‘growth and jobs’ are back on the agenda. On the other hand, for me it was a complete déja vu-moment when the EU rediscovered growth and jobs in the last couple of months. I thought: ‘hello….where have you been?’ We’ve really come full circle on this one.”
Verbinding met civil society
De staf van Jean-Claude Juncker geeft duidelijk aan waarom men Ann Mettler op deze sleutelfunctie heeft benoemd: “Ms Mettler was executive director and co-founder of The Lisbon Council, a Brussels-based think tank and policy network. Prior to founding the organisation, Ann served as Director for Europe at the World Economic Forum from 1997-2000. From 1997-2000, Ms Mettler held positions on the Governmental Affairs Committee of the United States Senate, a strategic advisory firm in Washington, DC and the foreign policy division of the European Commission, Brussels.
“Ms Mettler’s long experience in strategic analysis and sound expertise in digital and innovation aspects of economic reform, will enable the Commission’s European Political Strategy Centre to play a key role in advising the President and the College on matters related to the Commission’s political priorities. Her experience will also help boost relations between the European Commission and decision-makers, think tanks and civil society at large.”
