The European Commission has today appointed Elisabeth Werner as Director-General of the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG Agri). The department supports and promotes a green and digital transition based on knowledge and science towards sustainable, competitive and resilient EU agriculture, rural areas and food systems, including food security. It is responsible for the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Today's appointment will enter into force on 1 June.

With over 25 years of experience within the European Commission, Werner brings a strong combination of institutional knowledge, budgetary expertise and coordination skills across a wide range of policy areas. Her background includes extensive work on a number of policy dossiers, including land transport, competitiveness, clean industry and sustainability. "She has successfully managed teams and coordinated complex dossiers, often requiring close collaboration with other institutions and stakeholders," the European Commission said in a statement. "Her experience in policymaking at the intersection of sustainability, competitiveness, resilience and budget execution makes her particularly suited to work on the multiple challenges of the agricultural sector. Werner 's ability to work across sectors and align policies, funding and implementation tools will be key to promoting an integrated approach to agriculture that supports farmers, strengthens rural communities and delivers on the EU's ambitions."

An Austrian national, Elisabeth Werner is currently Deputy Secretary-General in the General Secretariat of the European Commission. Previously, she was Director for Land Transport in the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG Move), where she was responsible for interinstitutional relations, communication and coordination. In the early stages of her career, she was a senior expert and then Head of Cabinet of Vice-President Georgieva (2014-2016), dealing with human resources, budgetary issues and the fight against fraud. She has also held several Head of Unit positions in DG Move and Directorate-General for Budget (DG Budg). Werner joined the European Commission in 1996.