22 November 2022
The European Commission has decided today to appoint Salla Saastamoinen as Deputy Director-General for the Joint Research Centre (JRC). The Joint Research Centre is the Commission’s science and knowledge service. The JRC employs scientists to carry out research in order to provide independent scientific advice and support to EU policy. The date of effect of her appointment is to be determined later.
Salla Saastamoinen, a Finnish national, will benefit from her extensive policy-design experience to identify how the JRC’s scientific and technological work can support best EU policy making. She is also equipped with strong leadership, coordination and communication skills along with a significant amount of experience in legislative and international negotiations.
Salla Saastamoinen has 25 years of outstanding career in the Commission, including 21 years in the Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers (DG JUST). She was acting Director General in DG JUST during the challenging pandemic period. In this capacity, she was leading the EU policies on justice, rule of law, fundamental rights, equality, and consumers. In addition, and currently, she is Director for Civil and Commercial Justice in charge of the development of the European area of civil justice, including contract law and company law. Prior to that, she was Director for Equality. Previously, she also served as Head of several units in the same Directorate-General. Before joining the Commission in 1996, she was a partner in a business law firm, a researcher in law and author of several books on environmental law and EU law.