Brussels, 22 October 2024
The European Commission has decided today to appoint Léon Delvaux as Director for ‘Neighbouring Countries, Industry, Goods, Regulatory Cooperation and Public Procurement’ at the Commission’s Directorate-General for trade (DG TRADE). DG TRADE is the Commission’s department responsible for implementing the common commercial policy of the EU, managing trade relationships and negotiations with countries, regions and the World Trade Organisation. The date of effect is to be determined at a later stage.
Mr Delvaux’s nearly 25-year career has encompassed a broad range of high-level roles in trade and foreign affairs, both within the European Commission and in Luxembourg’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His extensive experience has honed his strategic thinking, sound judgment, and strong conceptual abilities, enabling him to navigate complex international negotiations and policymaking environments.
Mr Delvaux, a Luxembourgish national, is currently acting Director at DG TRADE, responsible for trade with the EU`s neighbours. This engagement combined with his former roles as Principal Adviser at the same DG, and Trade and Development Adviser to the former President of the Commission, have allowed him to play a central role in shaping key European trade policies. His leadership was especially impactful concerning Ukraine where he played a pivotal role in devising a policy to enhance the support trade could offer to the country faced with Russia’s war of aggression. These positions have also highlighted his capacity for innovative thinking and his skill in translating fresh ideas into actionable policies, a consistent theme throughout his career.
Before joining the Commission in 2014, Mr Delvaux was Deputy Director for all trade-related issues at the Directorate for Economic and European Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg, as well as Ambassador to Kosovo and Montenegro.