Spain Proposes Teresa Ribera as EU Commissioner

By Belén Carreño
MADRID (Reuters) – Spain has proposed its Energy and Environment Minister Teresa Ribera as a European Union Commissioner, a government spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Ribera has shepherded Spain’s green agenda since 2018, championing a faster transition to a zero-carbon economy, prioritizing renewable energy such as solar and wind over gas and nuclear plants, which she advocates phasing out.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s office has sent a formal letter proposing that Ribera, 55, be appointed to the new Commission headed by Ursula von der Leyen, confirming an earlier report by state news agency EFE.

The Spanish government and the S&D group of social democrats in the European Parliament aim to expand Ribera’s portfolio beyond climate matters, a source with direct knowledge of the talks told Reuters.

Consolidating a single market for energy and implementing clean tech industry policies may be among the new topics added to Ribera’s responsibilities, the source added.

Ribera is also expected to compete for one of the Commission’s vice presidencies. The scarcity of strong female candidates could favor her appointment, a Socialist Party source noted.

Since Spain held the EU’s rotating presidency, Ribera was a prominent figure at the COP28 climate change conference in Dubai, reinforcing her status as a key advocate for Europe’s climate agenda.

Tensions arose over issues like the nuclear phase-out and the biogas industry between Ribera and major energy players, while environmental groups criticized her energy plan for insufficient action against climate change.