Brunner becomes EU Migration Commissioner: “I was positively surprised”

There was great anticipation as to which portfolio Magnus Brunner (VP) would receive. When he was appointed EU Commissioner, the Austrian Finance Minister had signalled his interest in the areas of competition, economy and finance. But EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had completely different ideas.

She announced on Tuesday in Strasbourg that Brunner will be responsible for internal security and migration in the future. A dossier that he will master excellently. “Brunner has a legal background and an excellent background as a minister,” said Von der Leyen. The 52-year-old from Vorarlberg studied law and completed postgraduate studies at King’s College London.

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“I was pleasantly surprised that she trusted me to do this,” said Brunner this evening about von der Leyen’s decision. This task is a challenge and at the same time an opportunity to strengthen Europe’s security and values. In addition to the fight against illegal migration, Brunner named the development of a new security strategy as the goal and task of his work as Commissioner.

It will not be easy to reconcile the interests of all member states, he said. This is where his pragmatism comes in handy. One of Brunner’s tasks will also be to implement the EU asylum pact passed by the EU Parliament in May this year. But first he must pass the hearing of the Parliament.

The mammoth task

Before Brunner, Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (VP) had already praised his departmental responsibility effusively. “This is a special award for Austria, which has taken a strong and succinct stance on the migration issue,” said the Chancellor. Austria has shown at the national level that the asylum brake works and has achieved a decline in illegal border crossings from Hungary to Austria.

Nehammer is convinced that von der Leyen has correctly assessed Brunner’s abilities. “It’s not about sending a hardliner.” Rather, it is necessary to entrust a “connector” with this department, which is so sensitive for the EU. As finance minister, Brunner has shown that he can bring different interests together. Now he faces a mammoth task.

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