Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Monday - Friday 9am-12pm / 2pm-6pm GMT + 1 All financial news and data tailored to specific country editions highly relevant issue briefs and reports that break new ground with a focus on advancing debates by integrating foundational research and analysis with concrete policy solutions the Atlantic Council’s experts have you covered—delivering their sharpest rapid insight and forward-looking analysis direct to your inbox New Atlanticist is where top experts and policymakers at the Atlantic Council and beyond offer exclusive insight on the most pressing global challenges—and the United States’ role in addressing them alongside its allies and partners A weekly column by Atlantic Council President and CEO Frederick Kempe Inflection Points focuses on the global challenges facing the United States and how to best address them UkraineAlert is a comprehensive online publication that provides regular news and analysis on developments in Ukraine’s politics UkraineAlert sources analysis and commentary from a wide-array of thought-leaders and activists from Ukraine and the global community MENASource offers the latest news from across the Middle East and independent analysis from fellows and staff Econographics provides an in-depth look at trends in the global economy utilizing state-of-the-art data visualization tools executive vice-president of the European Commission the Atlantic Council will host an #ACFrontPage conversation featuring Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for a Clean Just and Competitive Transition Teresa Ribera on the future of European competitiveness and US-EU relations Ribera envisions a “decarbonized” and “resilient” Europe that creates jobs and is “competitive on the global stage.” Amid rising geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges achieving this vision will require concerted action at the state and European Union level along with renewed cooperation with international partners Tasked with coordinating the EU’s approach to competitiveness and the bloc’s industrial her priorities to bolster the EU’s competitiveness This edition of #ACFrontPage, hosted by the Europe Center will take place in person at the Atlantic Council’s headquarters in Washington The event will also be livestreamed on Atlantic Council TV Atlantic Council Front Page is our premier live ideas platform for global leaders to discuss the defining challenges of our time. #ACFrontPage is a high-level event series featuring top newsmakers across multiple digital platforms Harnessing the convening power and expertise of the Council’s sixteen programs and centers #ACFrontPage leverages the Council’s capabilities in social media and digital outreach to spotlight the world’s most prominent leaders and the most compelling ideas across sectors and engage new audiences eager for nonpartisan and constructive solutions to current global challenges This widely promoted program features the Council’s most important guests and content serving as the highlight of our programming Teresa RiberaExecutive Vice-President of the European Commission for a Clean The Europe Center promotes leadership and forward-looking transatlantic relationship Follow the conversations shaping our world Sign up to receive expert analysis from our community on the most important global issues © 2025 Atlantic CouncilAll rights reserved If refreshing the page doesn't resolve the issue you could try clearing the sites browser cache your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society Europe's water is under increasing pressure floods are taking their toll on our drinking water Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters and to discover some of the best water solutions an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt Monday 31 March – Commission statement before European Parliament plenary on need to ensure democratic pluralism transparency and anticorruption policies in the EU Wednesday 2 April - US reciprocal tariffs are due to enter into force affecting imports from EU Wednesday 2 April - Friday 4 April – Annual American Bar Association Spring gathering of international competition and data privacy enforcers in Washington DC Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera will be in Washington in her capacity as the Commission’s competition chief this week for the annual Spring Meeting of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) antitrust section The event sees leaders of the world’s antitrust regulators come together and compare notes in the US capital This year’s event will take place under the cosh of a tariff war however The ABA - America's largest voluntary lawyer group - is at loggerheads with the new Trump administration which it is suing over the decision to shut down the US Agency for International Development with the two key US regulators – the Department of Justice’s (DoJ) Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) both boycotting ABA events An enforcers panel held on Friday at the ABA Spring Meeting usually assembles the FTC Chairman and Antitrust Division’s Assistant Attorney General with the European Commissioner This week’s main stage show at the event will see Ribera on stage without her US counterparts however Ribera will however get the chance to meet with new Trump appointees the FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson and the DoJ’s Gail Slater in events created on the sidelines which the officials will be able to attend without breaking their ban on attending ABA events For example start-up organisation Y Combinator is hosting a ‘Little Tech Summit’ under the title ‘Make Competition Great Again’ on Wednesday at which the three are scheduled to speak on a panel Ferguson’s public statements  about reversing the “anti-business agenda” “war on mergers” and “politically motivated investigations” of his Biden-appointed predecessor Lina Khan raise the prospect of some spicy messaging for Ribera on EU tech enforcement through its competition and Digital Markets Act enforcement said the US will not accept others "tightening the screws" on US companies Companies such as Meta also seem keen to co-opt Trump into pushing back against rules affecting online platforms Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA) as Brussels seeks to avoid calm tensions with the White House Those ABA sideline meetings will be closely watched to gauge how much if at all this week’s DMA decisions will mollify Ribera’s US counterparts with minister Anikó Raisz restating its long-standing position that the decision was of such import that it could only be made by the unanimous agreement of EU heads of government – meaning the country’s premier Viktor Orbán could wield a veto Teresa Ribera is the Executive Vice-President for a Clean Her task is to ensure that Europe stays on track for its goals set out in the European Green Deal while driving the decarbonisation and industrialisation of our economy Read more about the Green Deal Industrial Plan Teresa Ribera is also responsible for modernising the EU’s competition policy to support European companies in innovating Read more about strengthening European competitiveness See all As part of the Commission's commitment to transparency Commissioners and their Cabinet members publish information on and minutes of all meetings they hold with interest representatives they also publish an overview of mission expenses No information is published on meetings taking place in the context of antitrust (including cartels), merger control or state aid procedures. This is in accordance with the relevant Commission decision Read Executive Vice-President Ribera's answers to the European Parliament questionnaire European Commission Executive Vice-President for a Clean Third Vice-President of the Government and Minister of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge Fourth Vice-President of the Government and Minister of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge Director of Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations Advisor on energy and climate programme at Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations State Secretary for Climate Change and Biodiversity Director-General of Spanish Climate Change Office US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs are “bad news for the whole world—including Americans,” said Teresa Ribera executive vice-president of the European Commission for a clean “We will defend the Europeans,” from businesses to citizens added Ribera at an Atlantic Council Front Page event Thursday The European Union (EU) will first look to avoid a “big clash” with the United States “We will remain firm and open,” and see if there are any avenues to “solve any type of misunderstanding and avoid conflict,” she said As for what the US tariffs mean for the EU’s trade strategy Ribera said that the bloc will “keep on developing and deepening the relationship with the rest of the world.”   we will try to keep on building that,” she said.  She added that it is “worth it to defend” the “multilateral-order-based rules,” including ones around trade that the EU has built with its partners “during the last eighty years.”  Below are more highlights from the conversation moderated by Europe Center Distinguished Fellow Frances Burwell which also touched upon the EU’s competitiveness agenda and green transition.  Katherine Golden is an associate director of editorial at the Atlantic Council Image: Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for a Clean Just and Competitive Transition Teresa Ribera speaks at an Atlantic Council event on April 3 Three committees questioned Teresa Ribera Rodríguez Spanish candidate for Commission Executive Vice-President for the Clean In her opening remarks Ribera paid tribute to the victims of the recent floods in Valencia She committed to maintain the course of the European Green Deal to meet climate targets and set-up a new approach to competition policy that is supportive of European companies to achieve a global level playing field With reference to the recent floods in Valencia several MEPs asked how Ms Ribera would improve Europe’s ability to prepare for growing climate-related risks Ms Ribera highlighted the need to do more and better when it comes to improving the EU’s resilience to extreme weather events including on early warning systems and the capacity to respond She promised a new European Climate Adaptation Plan to address those issues She also committed to making water resilience a priority Ms Ribera also committed to work towards implementing EU climate and energy targets for 2030 as well as set an EU 2040 target to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 90% compared to 1990 levels to enable the EU to become carbon neutral by mid-century MEPs also questioned Ms Ribera on issues related to the environment and the clean circular economy including on global negotiations on climate and biodiversity Ribera said support was needed for industrial decarbonisation and capitalising on the benefits of the green and digital transitions Ribera about the role of nuclear energy in European policies She said energy mix decisions are the responsibility of member states When asked about Europe’s automotive industry and the sector’s decarbonisation goals Ribera expressed her willingness to work with various industry stakeholders to "ensure that the transition is achieved." She also committed to addressing the issue of support for automotive industry subcontractors Ribera committed to working on a reform of EU competition policy to improve the speediness of enforcement MEPs asked how competition policy could be deployed to address the rising cost of living and the housing crises and how competition rules would allow for the development of European global champions Ms Ribera agreed that there was a space for competition policy to do more to address abusive pricing and to some extent the housing crisis They also asked how Ms Ribera would ensure predictability during the competition rules reforms improve enforcement of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and what the main priorities for the competition agenda would be She said that the Commission needs to be empowered further to better enforce the Digital Markets Act (DMA) Ms Ribera mentioned simplifying competition rules focusing on the worst offenders and supporting the green transition You can watch the video recording of the full hearing here The chairs and political group coordinators of the committees on Environment will meet without delay to assess the performance and qualification of the Commissioner-designate the Conference of Presidents (EP President Metsola and political group chairs) is set to conduct the final evaluation and declare the hearings closed on 21 November Once the Conference of Presidents declares all hearings closed The election by MEPs of the full college of Commissioners (by a majority of the votes cast by roll-call) is currently scheduled to take place during the 25-28 November plenary session in Strasbourg Mission Statement: to assist the integration of foreign residents living in Spain and this is never more accurate than when you establish yourself as a foreign resident in a new country Being able to quickly familiarise yourself with the culture and customs can help ease the transition during a challenging time This is why Euro Weekly News makes it our mission to provide you with a free news resource in English that covers both regional and national Spanish news – anything that we feel you will benefit from knowing as you integrate into your new community and live your best life in Spain you can forget about translating articles from Spanish into awkward English that probably don’t make much sense Let us be your convenient and essential guide to all things that will likely affect you as a foreign resident living in Spain Santiago de la Ribera Receives a Sweet Surprise SANTIAGO DE LA RIBERA has just received a sweet surprise! The beautiful town, located along the Mar Menor ‘Un buen día empieza en casa’ (‘A good day starts at home’) The company has chosen the stunning sunrise over the town as the centrepiece for one of the jars in their new limited-edition collection taken at one of the iconic spas in the area highlights the natural beauty of the region capturing the peaceful views that the locals love This recognition puts Santiago de la Ribera on the map showcasing its beautiful mornings and seaside location seeing their hometown featured on a global stage giving people around the world a taste of what makes this coastal town so special A post shared by Nutella España (@nutella.es) Read more Costa Calida news, articles and events here Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox Website#m44c1cde8a44350577286169{display:none} Euro Weekly News is the leading English language newspaper in Spain by delivering news with a social conscience we are proud to be the voice for the expat communities who now call Spain home With around half a million print readers a week and over 1.5 million web views per month EWN has the biggest readership of any English language newspaper in Spain The paper prints over 150 news stories a week with many hundreds more on the web – no one else even comes close Our publication has won numerous awards over the last 25 years including Best Free Newspaper of the Year (Premios AEEPP) Company of the Year (Costa del Sol Business Awards) and Collaboration with Foreigners honours (Mijas Town Hall) All of this comes at ZERO cost to our readers All our print and online content always has been and always will be FREE OF CHARGE Download our media pack in either English or Spanish The trade agreement between the European Union and Mexico will be updated to include an energy chapter the EU’s Executive Vice President for the Clean The new chapter of Europe’s trade deal with Mexico is expected to focus on the transition to clean and renewable energy as well as energy and agri-food sustainability we have reached an agreement to modernize a global agreement that over the last 25 years has brought very important benefits to our societies and our economy,” Ribera stated during a Wednesday press conference which has enhanced trade relations between the two powers was signed in 1997 and entered into force in 2000 The EU has since become the second-largest investor in Mexico and its third-largest trade partner globally Ribera discussed the geopolitical pressures being faced by several countries worldwide due to the United States trade war and the imposition of tariffs by U.S “It is very difficult to predict what could happen because circumstances show that reality can change very quickly,” said Ribera Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Jan 23 that the energy sector had been excluded from the EU-Mexico trade agreement Ribera said that energy policies had been discussed in general terms although it is not clear to what extent it is reflected in the agreement “There is close and intense cooperation on energy matters between the EU and Mexico,” said Ribera Unofficial sources said that the agreement is expected to be approved by the end of the year pending the standard bureaucratic process for legislation in the EU and an updated treaty has already been drafted “Nothing is stopping the signing beyond the usual bureaucratic processes that we all must comply with with a certain degree of complexity,” Ribera explained Ribera emphasized the importance of international cooperation to support a green transition withdrawal from the Paris Agreement will not halt progress and if the United States leaves the agreement With reports from La Jornada and El Sol de México ADVERTISE WITH MND COMMUNITY GUIDELINES Subscription FAQ's Privacy Policy Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC Come back closer to the match starting time for the WTA insider live blog Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information The European Commission (EC) said on Monday afternoon that “at the moment, there is nothing that allows us to say that the power outage affecting Spain and Portugal is due to “any kind of sabotage or cyberattack.”  In a statement to the press, Vice President of the European Commission, Teresa Ribera, confirmed that the institution is currently working in coordination with the Spanish and Portuguese authorities to restore power services “as soon as possible.” “We are following the situation,” said Ribera, admitting that it is one of “the most serious” power outage episodes "recorded in Europe for a long time." The vice president also asked the people affected to be “patient” and “follow the instructions” that the civil services send out. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the EC, said in a post on social media X that she reached out to the Spanish president, Pedro Sánchez, to offer support and to coordinate the efforts to restore power.   Get the day's biggest stories right to your phone The company is investing €30m ($34m) in the project which is spread across the price of the land the planting of grapes and the construction of a winery As a trusted provider of data and insights Just Drinks collaborates closely with industry leaders and professionals to offer unique thought leadership and analysis Gain a deeper understanding of the apparel industry’s trajectory and the priorities shaping the profession Subscribe to unlock exclusive content Already a subscriber? Sign in to access your account Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis Nominations are now open for the prestigious Just Drinks Excellence Awards - one of the industry's most recognised programmes celebrating innovation This is your chance to showcase your achievements Don't miss the opportunity to be honoured among the best - submit your nomination today Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network Was it a “shit show” or a “troll show” It was more open-mic night than august debate And at the center of it all was Teresa Ribera the climate specialist tapped to be perhaps the EU’s second most powerful figure after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.  Ribera was there to prove her policy chops to oversee a vast climate-meets-economy portfolio but they were obscured by a layer of acerbic The inciting factor: the deadly floods that recently swept through Spain’s Valencia region The finger-pointing in Spain is feverish right now and Ribera is taking political heat as the country’s ecological transition minister.  There was shouting and accusations that Ribera belonged in “court,” but we’ll get to all that.  the Spanish spats seeded a partisan atmosphere not typically seen in these EU commissioner hearings Intermittent applause at some points resembled dueling groups of fans in a stadium said Dutch Socialists and Democrats MEP Mohammed Chahim The Socialist official mostly stuck to the script and was And while she stumbled somewhat on some competition policy specifics — not an area of prior expertise for her — she clearly had done her reading Here are our five takeaways from Ribera’s knife fight hearing.  A tense back-and-forth over the devastating flash floods in Spain dominated the hearing Spanish European People’s Party members have been trying to blame Ribera for the disaster in an attempt to shift attention from center-right Regional President Carlos Mazón, who is under pressure to resign for his botched handling of the crisis.According to Spanish law regional authorities are responsible for emergency management but center-right MEPs teamed up with members of the far-right Patriots group to try to pin responsibility for the tragedy on Ribera.Their repeated mentions of the affair exasperated lawmakers from other countries who were eager to discuss topics relevant to the commissioner-designate’s portfolio said domestic matters should be discussed in domestic forums and committed to answering questions in the Spanish parliament next week appeared comfortable following the lead of its more radical Spanish delegation and didn’t shy from asking Ribera about her connection to the Valencia tragedy MEP assistants linked to the group packed into the room and enthusiastically applauded when their bosses lobbed particularly barbed questions The climate skepticism and nastiness of some of the comments meant it was occasionally difficult to tell the center-right lawmakers apart from their counterparts in the far-right Patriots group who urged the right wing to unite against Ribera.  While some of the more reserved MEPs merely tut-tutted at the indecorous behavior many left-leaning lawmakers began to clap back at their ideological opponents and applaud Ribera’s responses.  By the end, the hearing room resembled a boisterous stadium or, as one German Green lawmaker described it, “eine wahnsinnige Shitshow” (an insane shit-show).  leading one observer to quip that anyone able to keep their cool in that environment could be trusted to go head-to-head with U.S Ribera talked at length about the EU’s need to do more She pushed for accelerating the green transition and improving the bloc’s ability to deal with the extreme flooding and droughts that are becoming more common.  Ribera came across as a strong defender of the European Green Deal insisting on the need to implement and enforce existing legislation on the matter.  When an MEP exclaimed that the EU doesn’t need another Frans Timmermans (the EU’s Green Deal architect) Ribera retorted: “I am not Frans Timmermans Ribera didn’t commit to pushing many new initiatives of her own And she barely touched on numerous initiatives she will help draft as commissioner — but MEPs didn’t really press her on them.  Ribera also didn’t offer many specifics about the highly anticipated Clean Industrial Deal which she has vowed to produce within her first 100 days the Circular Economy Act didn’t get much attention Ribera merely observed that a market for circular and bio-based products doesn’t yet exist and that building one should be a priority Ribera did not astonish the competition policy wonks listening in to see what was in store for them.  do her homework — perhaps too thoroughly Ribera’s competition answers were definitely more repetitive and impersonal than her climate responses At times she even faltered on some of the more arcane details.  Her answers were relatively clipped on how she would police the digital market and create larger European companies But she lit up on questions about state aid and — wait for it — Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEIs a program that aims to direct EU support to strategic sectors like microchips and batteries) Ribera faces a steep learning curve on competition policy but she seemed to have no shortage of motivation and stressed that she would rely on those around her “Competition is absolutely key,” she said in one of her answers batting away criticism of her lack of competition knowledge She drove the point home: “This is a commitment and this is what I will try to do.” It’s fair to say that pro-nuclear MEPs didn’t get what they came for. Atomic energy supporters, led by Renew MEP Christophe Grudler, had hoped to extract concessions from Ribera on financing nuclear energy the Spanish Socialist said she would respect “each member state’s decision on how to organize their own energy mix,” including those who choose nuclear.  That’s more than she wrote in her written comments to MEPs ahead of the hearing, but it’s also what Ribera is bound to do under EU law which gives member states precisely that right When Ribera was then asked (twice) specifically about financing new nuclear plants, she didn’t budge. Questioned about whether she would support further state aid for new nuclear plants, just months after the outgoing European Commission approved similar measures for the Dukovany power plant in Czechia, she simply stated that “each single case should be assessed” on a case-by-case basis.  When Grudler, the Renew MEP, followed up, she went over her allotted time answering another one of his questions, which left her no time to address the nuclear issue. From Madrid to Rome, ideologically opposed European politicians are united in their ban of the practice. Residents are demanding a role in the reconstruction of their cities. People rarely think about Europe’s criss-crossing energy system. We tell you how it works, what went wrong (and right) on Monday and what happens next. “This has never happened before,” said Sánchez, warning it may take longer than expected to restore power. Copyright © 2022 ALM Media Properties, LLC. Teresa Ribera's appointment as EU competition commissioner comes at a critical time for the EU with growing pressure to rethink antitrust enforcement and ease merger control to strengthen European companies. By Ricardo Zimbrón Partner Teresa Ribera has been appointed to succeed Margarete Vestager as EU Competition Commissioner and serve as Executive Vice-President for a Clean Her appointment comes at a crossroads in EU antitrust enforcement The past decade has seen an array of significant developments—the implementation of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR); calls for the European Commission (EC) to take account of industrial policy and environmental impact in antitrust enforcement; pressure for the EC to adopt a more interventionist approach to merger control former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi’s report into the future of European competitiveness (the Draghi Report) which questioned whether EU competition enforcement was consistent with the creation of strong European companies capable of competing globally Litigation Daily National Law Journal The Recorder New York Law Journal The Legal Intelligencer Brugh Lower of Gibbons has entered an appearance for industrial equipment supplier Devco Corporation in a pending trademark infringement lawsuit accusing the defendant of selling knock-off Graco products 18 in New Jersey District Court by Rivkin Radler on behalf of Graco Inc Read More Yalowitz of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer have entered their appearances for Hanaco Venture Capital and its executives 24 in New York Southern District Court by Zell accuses the defendants of negligently and fraudulently managing the plaintiff's $1 million investment Read More Attorneys from A&O Shearman has stepped in as defense counsel for Toronto-Dominion Bank and other defendants in a pending securities class action 11 in New York Southern District Court by Bleichmar Fonti & Auld accuses the defendants of concealing the bank's 'pervasive' deficiencies in regards to its compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and the quality of its anti-money laundering controls Read More a Pennsylvania company providing shared communications infrastructure Wolf of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani to fend off a pending breach-of-contract lawsuit 25 in Michigan Eastern District Court by Hooper Hathaway PC on behalf of The Town Residences LLC accuses Crown Castle of failing to transfer approximately $30,000 in utility payments from T-Mobile in breach of a roof-top lease and assignment agreement Read More Schwartz of McCarter & English have stepped in as defense counsel to Electrolux Home Products Inc 26 in New York Eastern District Court by Poulos Lopiccolo PC and Nagel Rice LLP on behalf of David Stern alleges that the defendant's refrigerators’ drawers and shelving repeatedly break and fall apart within months after purchase Read More Already have an account? Sign In Teresa Ribera Rodríguez, a lawyer by training, will have the most powerful mandate in the EU College of Commissioners. Spanish socialist Teresa Ribera Rodríguez was confirmed today as the next EU Commissioner for competition she will helm what is seen as the world’s most aggressive antitrust enforcer the Brussels-based EU Directorate-General for Competition and lead the almost 900 staffers who run antitrust investigations and regularly issue million-euro fines at the end of those lengthy investigations to large companies both in the EU and the U.S Already have an account? Sign In Looking to access paid articles across multiple policy topics Interested in policy insights for EU professional organisations “I think we are doing something that nobody has done before Nobody has been able to achieve a different pattern of development and prosperity and we know that we need to invest a lot in this because what it is at risk is terrifying.” either observed and verified directly by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Commission Executive Vice-President for Clean Just and Competitive Transition Teresa Ribera Rodriguez in Brussels in November 2024 the EU's new powerful antitrust chief and number 2 in the European Commission after Ursula von der Leyen speaks to Bloomberg's Oliver Crook in Brussels for her first interview since taking up her role at the start of the week She pledges to continue her predecessor's touch stance on big tech which may include forcing Google to divest its adtech business Ribera hopes for good cooperation with the Trump administration and will look more closely at subsidized Chinese companies operating in Europe European Commission Executive Vice President Teresa Ribera will preside over the weekly meeting of her fellow commissioners next week if her boss hasn’t recovered from her bout of severe pneumonia “If the president isn’t back next week for the college then the Executive Vice President Rivera will perform the chairing of the college meeting next week,” said Paula Pinho when asked by journalists at a press briefing for an update on the head of the European Union’s executive one from each EU country and typically presided over by von der Leyen Von der Leyen is battling a “severe” case of pneumonia and is currently recovering and working from Germany the Commission president canceled her external engagements for the first two weeks of the year including missing a Polish presidency of the Council of the EU’s inauguration event She has stopped short of handing off her duties at the Berlaymont, which has led to delays in unveiling key policies at the start of her second term as Commission president Von der Leyen was scheduled to kick off the new year with a proposal on how to tackle the EU’s innovation gap with global rivals ensure the bloc’s economic security and make progress on decarbonizing EU industry to take stock of the situation,” Pinho added EU competition chief Ribera holds the institution’s second-most-powerful portfolio The former Spanish deputy prime minister is next in line for succession if von der Leyen needs to step away from her duties A Brussels-backed project to develop the lithium reserves needed to power electric vehicles is fueling political instability on the European Union’s doorstep Bangladesh and India as “safe.” The market volatility caused by Trump’s back and forth on tariffs shows the U.S “is not in a strong position,” the former EU commissioner tells Le Soir “The development of nuclear weapons in space is a way for Russia to improve its capabilities,” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte tells Welt am Sonntag EU conservatives are scheming to keep a socialist's hand off the rudder of Europe’s economy as they anxiously eye Teresa Ribera’s march toward power in Brussels Spain’s vice president and ecological transition minister representing the Socialist Workers' Party has long been tipped as the front-runner to inherit the EU’s green crown rumors have spread that Ursula von der Leyen may also hand Ribera significant control over EU industry at a time of major transformation For the center-right European People’s Party (EPP) which came out on top in the June EU election sees itself as the bloc’s industrial champion The EPP would resist “a very leftist view,” said Sigfried Muresan a European Parliament member and EPP vice president while declining to comment specifically on Ribera Conservatives are now weighing several options to clip Ribera’s wings according to officials in the party and the Commission who also hails from the EPP,  and contemplating how to extract promises during Ribera’s confirmation hearing in Parliament The EPP wants to achieve their goals without sparking a war by rejecting Ribera outright and thereby upsetting the delicate power-sharing arrangement being crafted as von der Leyen selects her slate of EU commissioners it’s all about the balance,” said one European Commission official granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive negotiations Ribera's final job offer from von der Leyen is still unclear ahead of the expected announcement on Wednesday.  As an expert in green policy, the Spanish official has long been linked to a role overseeing climate change and environmental affairs. In May she told POLITICO she would be interested in a sweeping green role Last week, however, the Financial Times reported that Ribera was under consideration for the EU's powerful competition portfolio According to two people with knowledge of the conversations Ribera also spoke with von der Leyen over the summer about the upcoming “Clean Industrial Deal,” a major legislative initiative to revive European manufacturing and build next-generation green industries The discussions raised the prospect that Ribera may steer the initiative.  The mounting signs that Ribera was heading for a key role in guiding industrial and economic decisions alarmed von der Leyen's party “Ribera is being targeted by the EPP,” the European Commission official said “They don’t want her in charge of any industrial or economic competences within the green transition or the green industrial deal Some in the EPP are not happy with this and have made that very clear.” Climate change, however, has been a consistent priority for von der Leyen causing conflict with her political family Ribera’s rhetoric on the subject is also mostly simpatico with von der Leyen’s messaging.  Last week Ribera called Europe’s green transition “a huge promising industrial agenda — an innovation agenda.” That’s essentially how von der Leyen sells her vision: Going green can be good business Von der Leyen was previously willing to entrust her green vision to a socialist in her first term naming Frans Timmermans to a top executive role in the Commission.  The EPP came to regret giving Timmermans a portfolio that affects the entire economy and breathed a sigh of relief when a successor the EPP is keen to flex its muscle to protect some highly polluting industries including agriculture and the automotive sector from what they view as excessive regulation The EPP is weighing three options to clip Ribera’s wings The first is simply pressuring von der Leyen to ensure Ribera’s portfolio is not all-powerful One way to do this would be to strategically elevate center-right EU commissioners to keep Ribera in check.  “If there is an EPP commissioner under Ribera with an economic competence that changes the picture,” the Commission official said The next option under discussion is to demand commitments from Ribera on signature EPP issues when she appears before the Parliament to secure confirmation.  A senior EPP lawmaker noted how much success the Greens and The Left groups had in eliciting concessions from Hoekstra during his confirmation hearings last year.  “They made him commit [to] the neutrality targets by threatening to vote him down,” the lawmaker said nuclear option is to carry out the threat — but that's seen as highly unlikely given that Ribera is the Socialist group’s most senior candidate is one of only 10 women (in addition to von der Leyen) put forward by the 27 EU countries.  “[The] EPP is not in the mood to kill commissioners,” the senior EPP lawmaker said “All political groups will start shooting at each other’s nominees.” The Socialists are also not happy with the slate of proposed EU commissioners Key Socialist figures have warned that the only way to secure their support for the arrangement is for the EPP to give concessions on posts let alone tries to kill the socialist heavyweight of the Commission in the hearings then the Socialists will retaliate against VDL,” said an EU official with knowledge of the internal discussions in the Commission argument against the green transition felt “quiet and out of place,” said one official and European officials are sparring in meetings of the International Energy Agency which helps guide global investments and policies has used the U.K.-hosted energy summit to boost fossil fuels over the transition to net zero Acting Assistant Secretary Tommy Joyce also took aim at Joe Biden’s climate legacy The next person in the European Commission’s line of succession if President Ursula von der Leyen is incapacitated is Executive Vice President Teresa Ribera the EU executive’s spokesperson said Monday The question of who would lead the Commission if von der Leyen has to step away from her duties arose after the president’s spokesperson last week announced she has “severe pneumonia” and had canceled her engagements in the first half of January While there has been “no need to designate” a stand-in for von der Leyen the next colleague and member of the college would be indeed Executive Vice President Ribera,” said Commission Chief Spokesperson Paula Pinho Ribera, a former Spanish deputy prime minister, holds a powerful portfolio as the bloc’s competition chief net-zero architect and economic transformer Pinho added von der Leyen was “keeping the business running” despite her illness and was in “daily contact” with her staff while she recovers in her home city of Hanover “She is taking care of herself and making sure that she will be fully fit and able to take up again the daily routine,” Pinho said “I’m very sorry the dog died,” Christian Lindner says maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls,” the U.S The hard right cruised to victory in Sunday’s presidential election first round sparking the stunning announcement from socialist PM Marcel Ciolacu TikTok and ultranationalism propels hard-right chief to cult status among Romania’s diaspora The European Union Vice-President Teresa Ribera takes the stage at LSE offering a unique opportunity to engage with one of Europe's leading policymakers in a conversation that will shape the future of economic and environmental policy In an era of rising inequality and economic transformation the question of how to achieve fair and inclusive prosperity is more pressing than ever the green transition is reshaping industries But can economic justice be realized without a strong environmental agenda Is sustainability a prerequisite for long-term prosperity or can alternative paths lead to fair growth? This exclusive dialogue with Teresa Ribera invites participants to delve into these pressing questions With a distinguished background in environmental law and policy Ribera brings a wealth of experience in crafting strategies that bridge economic growth with environmental stewardship. This event is chaired by Prof Princesa de Asturias Chair and Director of the Cañada Blanch Centre Economic research increasingly suggests that green investments drive job creation and reduce long-term costs associated with environmental degradation Studies from leading institutions highlight that nations prioritizing sustainability tend to foster innovation and remain competitive in an evolving global market neglecting environmental concerns risks deepening social disparities and exposing economies to the destabilizing effects of climate change. However some argue that strict environmental policies may impose burdens on certain industries and workers raising important questions about how to ensure an equitable transition Ribera will reflect on these findings and explore how the European Union’s Green Deal aims to balance social equity with ambitious climate goals Bringing together policymaking experience and economic evidence this discussion will challenge assumptions about growth It offers a timely opportunity to reflect on the future of economic policy and whether a truly inclusive prosperity might flourish within—or perhaps cannot exist without—a robust commitment to sustainability Teresa Ribera's task in the European Commission is to ensure that Europe stays on track for its goals set out in the European Green Deal while driving the decarbonisation and industrialisation of our economy. She is responsible for: Meet the Vice-President of the European Commission Teresa Ribera Just and Competitive Transition and Commissioner for Competitiveness under the second Von der Leyen Commission She previously served as the Minister for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge of Spain since 2018 she was responsible for organising the UNFCCC COP25 in Madrid she held the position of Director of the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) and was involved in the negotiation of the Paris Climate Agreement she served as Spanish Secretary of State for Climate Change and Biodiversity and was responsible for environmental and climate policies Ribera holds a bachelor’s degree in Law from Complutense University of Madrid and a diploma in Constitutional Law and Political Science from the Centre for Constitutional Studies The Cañada-Blanch Centre at LSE is the vehicle to achieve the objective of the Fundación Cañada Blanch: developing and reinforcing the links between the United Kingdom and Spain This is done by means of fostering cutting-edge knowledge generation and joint research projects between researchers in the United Kingdom From time to time there are changes to event details so we strongly recommend that if you plan to attend this event you check back on this listing on the day of the event LSE Events does not take responsibility for the running and administration of this event While we take responsible measures to ensure that accurate information is given here this event is ultimately the responsibility of the organisation presenting the event This event will be live streamed on Youtube London School of Economics and Political Science LSE is a private company limited by guarantee Campus map Contact us Cookie policy Report a page Accessibility Statement Terms of use Privacy policy Modern Slavery Statement originally due in the first quarter of this year This article was corrected to clarify the timeline Take a trial with Euractiv Pro in order to get the Tech Pro brief in your inbox Donec et orci aliquet nisl suscipit molestie sed sit amet tortor Duis vel urna ac mi sollicitudin lacinia mollis sit amet lorem Sed finibus erat nec libero scelerisque fringilla Morbi at orci sed urna vulputate vulputate Get a subscription on Euractiv Pro and elevate your political insight BRUSSELS — EU competition boss Teresa Ribera has defended the timing of the European Commission's fines on Apple and Meta, waving off criticism that the penalties were delayed to avoid a further escalation of U.S On Wednesday, Brussels slapped the U.S. tech giants with penalties in the hundreds of millions of euros for violating the bloc's digital rulebook, despite President Donald Trump threatening retaliatory tariffs should fines be imposed “These are decisions that are not taken with passion,” but with “seriousness and evidence,” Ribera told POLITICO The Commission has been under pressure to deliver the verdicts in recent weeks after an indicative end-March deadline was missed Neither Ribera nor digital chief Henna Virkkunen, who share responsibility for enforcement of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) which sets the rules for how tech companies operate in the European market were in Brussels today for the announcement where she is on a week-long institutional trip said it wouldn’t have made sense to delay the decisions because of her travels adding that today’s decisions show the Commission “is serious about the level playing field” and about giving a chance to companies and “those who would like to develop new business “I have felt that there were many people willing to rush even when the procedures were not finalized yet .. because of [pressure] to react against the announcements being made by the White House.” But Apple faces a €500 million fine for breaching the regulation’s rules for app stores while Meta drew a penalty of €200 million for its "pay or consent" advertising model which requires that European Union users pay to access ad-free versions of Facebook and Instagram Meta lashed out angrily at the decisions calling them a “tariff” that creates a “handicap” on successful American companies Apple claimed it was being "unfairly" targeted Both said they will appeal the Commission's decisions “I haven't heard these companies complaining against the U.S even though they have “very similar approaches” to those of the EU to the new digital reality “So I don't know why they think that we Europeans should be a target in terms of complaints.” Counter-attack by Milan-based bank deals blow to plans for a ‘third pole’ in Italian banking “The European Commission is attempting to handicap successful American businesses,” blasts top US lobbyist By delaying expected announcements on fining Apple and Meta the bloc’s Digital Markets Act is being dragged into the global trade war BRUSSELS — Convincing European Union lawmakers to back her as the bloc's new climate and competition chief will be the easy part for Spain's Teresa Ribera.  If confirmed in her post, though, climate expert Ribera will quickly discover that the competition leg of her vast portfolio is a major head-scratcher in a world where the EU is trying to boost its productivity and relevance in the face of an increasingly tense geopolitical scene.  Ribera will have the last word on how EU countries subsidize companies to ensure large deep-pocketed nations don't outspend their smaller neighbors a major legislative initiative to seed the climate-friendly sectors of the future while helping existing companies cut carbon emissions and compete Competition is a weak spot for the Spanish socialist whose entire career has revolved around energy and environmental issues It is also the policy area the EU is betting on to help unleash economic growth and subsidize the right investments There is a risk that there won’t be this independent watchdog that the combination of competition with other policy issues jeopardizes the watchdog component of that role,” said an EU government official granted anonymity to speak freely.  Vincent Hurkens of the E3G think tank said she faces a "very complex" task to enable government aid as the economy emerges from the shocks of the pandemic and the Ukraine war while dealing with concerns that some countries can outspend others to answer how she can guarantee that level playing field but at the same time provide sufficient investment in a time where there doesn't seem to be that much of an appetite to go for very ambitious new plans to secure additional public funding in the EU," he said "So that's really for her to provide a vision on — how will you square that circle,” he said.  worries that the current European Commission emphasis on spending is wrong-headed He said the EU should “start focusing on startups and scale-ups — and not [on] large state aid to large players in large EU member states such as Germany.” Donald Trump’s reelection as president of the United States has turned up the temperature for EU efforts to police (largely U.S.-based) Big Tech and multinational corporations' megadeals Trump vowed last month not to let the EU “take advantage of our companies,” saying Apple CEO Tim Cook had called him to complain about an EU antitrust fine and back-tax order "The victory of Donald Trump is closely linked to the support of Elon Musk and other Tech tycoons who explicitly said they want to avoid any kind of regulation," German Green lawmaker Alexandra Geese told POLITICO in an email This puts pressure on the Commission "to stand tall by our rules," she said This marks a stark contrast from 10 years of high-powered antitrust enforcement by Vestager who made Silicon Valley take notice of Brussels bureaucrats with hefty fines “We are coming out of two mandates with Margrethe Vestager who was really a driving force," French Renew lawmaker Stéphanie Yon-Courtin told POLITICO “And now I’m afraid it’s going to be an empty shell,” she said of the competition portfolio pointing to the low prominence given so far to antitrust in what Ribera has been told to do and what she herself is committing to Mergers feature prominently in the instructions Ribera got. She will be under pressure to reform how the EU checks and blocks deals, with Germany and France calling for rules to allow bigger airlines and telecom companies Two high-level reports recently backed more telecom consolidation and scaled-up firms to make the European economy more efficient and resilient But changing merger rules is easier said than done Allowing bigger national champions could come to the detriment of smaller companies and consumers “With a big push coming from telecom incumbents and major airlines to get bigger in European markets can creating ‘European champions’ not end up in fact reducing innovation in the European market and therefore harming consumers?” asked Agustín Reyna of the consumer advocacy group BEUC A specific call to police "killer acquisitions," where big companies snap up innovative potential rivals which have attracted most recent EU enforcement efforts Ribera could end up having to defend against accusations that the EU is taking a harsher line with U.S Another legal weapon, the Foreign Subsidies Regulation could also put her on a collision course with U.S Although the tool was largely aimed at creating more checks for Chinese state subsidies its broad scope has also netted many firms from friendly states companies and financial investors are required to go through a complex process to notify acquisitions and this could get drawn into transatlantic trade spats,” warned Philippe Radinger A crosscutting challenge for Ribera will be managing her time among so many priorities “I’m just wondering when she’s supposed to sleep It's not clear to me yet how she'll do it,” said German Green lawmaker Jutta Paulus The European Commission has been accused of dragging its feet to avoid inflaming Donald Trump’s trade war Let’s toss in economic transformation and competition as well It’s an approach the EU has never tried before, making Teresa Ribera a fascinating test case as she glides toward becoming one of the EU’s most powerful commissioners of all time Ribera was long expected to get a post running the EU’s grand plan to hit net zero by 2050 She wants the ex-Spanish official to both police companies that get too big and help smaller companies get bigger — all while growing new industries and cutting industrial emissions competing impulses (see what we did there?) is the main question looming over her hearing We’ll bring you all the live action below from 6:30 p.m P.S.: If you want to follow more of the action from the hearings, our reporters have delivered blow-by-blow updates from all 26 commissioner interviews here Socialist and veteran climate campaigner will be one of six executive vice-presidents in European Commission team At the beginning of May, Teresa Ribera sounded the alarm over the future of the EU social media manipulation and the increasing normalisation of the far right had put the European project at risk of “an implosion” it was a betrayal,” Ribera told the Guardian Fast forward four months and Ribera finds herself uniquely placed to help rebalance and revitalise the European Commission. The 55-year-old socialist, a veteran climate campaigner who also serves as one of Spain’s three deputy prime ministers, will be one of the most powerful people in Brussels when the next European Commission takes office later this year. Read moreDespite her somewhat unwieldy job title – executive vice-president of a clean just and competitive transition – Ribera will oversee a hugely influential portfolio and will also be one of the most senior socialists at the top of a more right-leaning EU executive Ribera addresses the media after the European election results in June Photograph: Violeta Santos Moura/ReutersOne of six executive vice-presidents she will share responsibility with France’s commissioner for creating a “clean industrial deal” within the first 100 days of taking office but the project is intended to accelerate growth of Europe’s green companies as the EU seeks net zero greenhouse gas emissions by the middle of the century will also take charge of EU competition policy traditionally one of the most powerful fiefdoms in Brussels with an instruction to make the EU rulebook that restricts mergers and government subsidies more compatible with the green transition Competition is “a key portfolio in the transition” But the complex cat’s cradle of lines of responsibility devised by von der Leyen means Ribera will share the green transition job with several colleagues the Dutch centre-right commissioner for climate will have the crucial task of proposing the EU’s 2040 climate reduction targets which will determine the trajectory towards net zero Insiders say the profusion of overlapping portfolios means only one person is in charge: von der Leyen herself “The problem that Ribera has in my view is that she has a super big portfolio,” said one EPP source noting that Ribera shared responsibility with Séjourné for the clean industrial deal meaning that von der Leyen “will do the arbitrage” Spain’s prime minister shakes hands with Teresa Ribera at the Spanish parliament in Madrid who has a law degree and a diploma in constitutional law and political science is unlikely to be daunted – or to allow herself to be sidelined her polite and personable manner belies a determination to speak her mind the environment and the politicisation of the environment And yet, as the row over the Doñana shows, Ribera is also a pragmatist and a deal-maker: seven months after calling out the behaviour of the Andalucían government, she and its regional president reached a landmark €1.4bn (£1.2bn) investment agreement to help protect the area and diversify the local economy In an interview with El País on Thursday the executive vice-president-designate was keen to stress her record and her commitment to dialogue and cooperation “The commission is a collegiate body; it’s about shared power,” she said you have the coordination tasks on the green agenda; on the other the traditional and powerful portfolio that is competition these areas are very powerful: what we need to do now is start on the kind of team work that will get them to take off I’ve always tried to build consensus between north and south between developed and developing countries Teresa Ribera and Stéphane Séjourné attend a meeting of the Board of Commissioners in Brussels Photograph: John Thys/EPAIf Ribera’s departure to Brussels will be a loss to the government of Pedro Sánchez – she is a close ally of Spain’s socialist prime minister – it will also serve as proof of her country’s growing presence in European institutions The former Spanish foreign minister Josep Borrell may be reaching the end of his turbulent tenure as the EU’s chief diplomat is the president of the European Investment Bank and Iratxe García a member of Sánchez’s Spanish Socialist Workers’ party remains the leader of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats group in the European parliament Congratulating Ribera on her designation on Tuesday, Sánchez wrote: “With your nomination, Spain achieves the highest level of influence it’s ever had in Brussels and the EU gains an exceptional leader. We’re really going to miss you.” in response to the question ‘Rioja or Ribera?’ when ordering by-the-glass at a Madrid tapas bar.At that point I confess I was only familiar with one of them of course - and that is largely what happened as I broadened my horizons as a wine collector impressed by the value offered by the wines and fearing that my cellar otherwise resembled an homage to Bordeaux With its big swings in day and night temperatures the Ribera del Duero is increasingly making fresher wines I suspect it might be a familiar story for fellow wine lovers because despite its long history of small-scale wine production Ribera del Duero could be described as ‘a New World of the Old World’.It only became a DO (Denominación de Origen) in 1982 when there were just seven wineries.Fast forward 40 years and there are now more than 300 it is well established on the world fine wine map bringing about a subtle change in both style and tone Heading a couple of hours north on the motorway from Madrid you’re reminded of the region’s sense of isolation as you enter what resembles a huge canyon.Perversely encompassing four regions across the province of Castilla y León - Valladolid to the west Segovia south and Soria to the east - Ribera del Duero is actually smaller than you might imagine at just under 115 kilometres long and around 35km wide it is somewhere between a third and half the size of Rioja’s 66,000 ha Following the snaking path of the Duero river which becomes the Douro as it enters Portugal the region sits on a high-altitude platform with viticulture ranging from around 720 to 1,100 metres as the vines march into the surrounding mountains so the conditions feel more akin to South America than Europe.Though the climate it is harsh thanks to the diurnal range in temperature (the difference between daytime high and nighttime low) with UV rays much more powerful at altitude I found myself drawing parallels with Argentina’s Uco Valley Spain's frst female Master of Wine Almudena Alberca and an expert on the Ribera del Duero wine region Who better to introduce me to Ribera del Duero than Almudena Alberca a native of the region who knows it like the back of her hand having crafted wines for some of its top producers “Because of the high altitude and the location on a plateau surrounded by mountains we have a long winters and hot summers here we say 'we have nine months of winter and three months of hell,’ because we can go down to minus 14 degrees and then up to 40 degrees (and) we also have a very big variation between day and night but the vines are very well adapted to these temperatures,” she reassures me Ribera del Duero’s soils are key to delivering a point of difference for the region’s wines with a patchwork of around 30 different soil types Clay soils are a common feature across the region as part of its mixed soils terroir Stony soils are also an important part of the wine region Such is complexity of the terrain that some areas are yet to be properly understood while a number of Ribera’s top producers told me they were keen to see a greater focus on a ‘Burgundian’ plot-specific designation as recently introduced in the rival Rioja region to highlight the region’s intriguing diversity “We are in the best place in the world to grow Tempranillo grapes It’s unique because all the bedrock is pure limestone and on top we have sandy soils with some river stones or calcareous rocks There are not many places in the world that have the high concentration of limestone that we have here,” says Alberca “The different soils and different exposures within the valley affect the aromas the flavours and the texture of the tannins which is why Ribera del Duero is so much fun when you are a winemaker So sandy soils are going to give more perfumed,lighter bodied wines clay is going to give us more concentration of red or black fruit with more weight on the mid palate and tannins while limestone is going to be very elegant and refined The combination of all of these factors is to produce wines with a lot of ageing potential.” Tempranillo is not the only variety grown in Ribera del Duero but it enjoys an extraordinary hegemony accounting for very nearly 96% of the vines planted as they prefer to call it Tinto Fino or Tinta del País (both synonyms) “Tempranillo in my opinion could be one of the best varieties in the world but it is indigenous to Spain and it is here that we will find the greatest diversity I can see how Tempranillo is able to express the terroir and it is very versatile with a lot of ageing potential,” says Alberca The other permitted red varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon Red wines must contain a minimum of 95% authorised varieties and the proportion of Tempranillo must not be less than 75%.Though most producers still deal exclusively with red represents 1.7% of plantings and is starting to generate serious interest with the wines exhibiting a delicious textural charm Ribera del Duero has a classification system based on minimum ageing - 24 months for Crianza some of the most interesting and exciting bottles now fall within the ‘Cosecha’ category which starts at ‘youthful’ and extends to ‘those wines which do not meet the traditional classification criteria’ My advice: look out for those fuschia pink ‘Cosecha’ labels most especially if you know something about the producer Peter Sisseck has helped elevate Ribera del Duero's status with his Dominio de Pingus Responsible for arguably the most celebrated, not to mention expensive, wine from Spain, Peter Sisseck, knows more than almost anyone about the terroir that defines Ribera del Duero.Danish-born and Bordeaux-trained, he came to the region, almost by accident, in the early 1990s when it was scarcely known. Established in 1995, Dominio de Pingus having pioneered organic viticulture from the off and farmed biodynamically since the turn of the century Pingus is the estate’s highly sought after flagship wine produced from 100% old-vine Tinto Fino from three parcels in the village of La Horra Made from extremely low-yielding bush vines and aged in 100% new French oak the wine offers incredible concentration and poise “Purity is probably what I appreciate the most in great Tempranillo: very pure aromas and subtleness of tannins,” he tells me immaculate winery.“It is a grape that can be made in many ways but truly great Tempranillo is very subtle burly wine that everybody thinks.It can be very beautiful and that’s the expression that I like the most.” Sisseck is passionate about the preservation of old vines making their low-yielding heritage vines financially sustainable and delivering a top-flight fine wine in the process “PSI is a project I am really very proud of because it is really a way of trying to give something back to a region we still have around 2,000 hectares of older vines (but) it’s also a fact that a lot of the people who own these vines are very old and cannot do the work so we are starting now to buy vineyards in order to save them the very fact that a vineyard has survived is a pretty good indicator that it’s a good site,” he says Tim Atkin MW will be sharing his best of Ribera del Duero at a special London tasting on November 20 Previewing his 2024 Ribera del Duero Selection tasting, Tim Atkin MW told The Buyer that he believes the region is “in an exciting place right now … producing the most diverse and the most terroir-focused wines in its history Sisseck clearly believes there’s still plenty of work to be done not least safeguarding old vines and formally recognising the region’s most significant plots but he also shares Atkin’s sense of optimism:"My gut feeling is that we are evolving The great thing is that a lot of the young kids have been working abroad they have contacts with other winemakers outside Ribera they see new wines being made in other areas so they are much more open and I am sure that’s what going to make this area much more resilient.” When: November 20 2024.Where: Carlton House Terrace Join Tim Atkin MW and Pablo Baquera from the Consejo Regulador de Vinos de Ribera del Duero at 2pm for a one-hour briefing focusing on the latest vintages and trends and Atkin's overall thoughts on his recent visit and the progress the region has made Register for the event here. The Buyer TVClick below to watch The Buyer's library of online debates, videos and webinars. The aftermath of the disaster has turned into a political blame game “There is little point in having all the necessary information (from the AEMET) if the one who has to respond (the Valencia government) does not know how to do so,” said Ribera [Eduardo Parra/Europa Press via Getty Images] BRUSSELS — Ursula von der Leyen has a dream for Europe The European Commission president on Tuesday chose the Spanish climate expert to become one of the European Union’s most influential people — in charge of charting the bloc’s course toward a future both prosperous and green the most powerful post ever created within the EU’s executive arm: A position combining the jobs of competition chief The move was not easy politically. To allay national and partisan concerns about Ribera — a Spanish socialist who von der Leyen’s own center-right party the nuclear industry and the French government all criticized in recent weeks — von der Leyen proposed a Commission structure that placed some checks on Ribera's power But Ribera — currently Spain’s ecological transition minister — is the one von der Leyen is effectively tasking with implementing her overarching vision And she’s handing Ribera a blueprint: An exhaustive report from former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi that calls for Europe to renew its economic fortunes via a more powerful EU and the green transition “This is a great opportunity to keep on building the European dream,” Ribera told reporters in Strasbourg the Commission official Ribera has named as her chief of staff was on team who helped Draghi write the report Now all that stands in Ribera’s way is a confirmation hearing in the European Parliament.  von der Leyen made clear in her conversations with national leaders that commissioners with strong track records would be rewarded with top roles A senior Commission official said von der Leyen had chosen Ribera with an eye on the EU’s looming 2030 climate targets The bloc is currently not on track to meet them jeopardizing its 2050 net-zero goal.  and I think in terms of getting the [green and digital] transitions done I think she can deliver,” the official said “She also has a reputation for being a good administrator.” detailed negotiations are a Ribera specialty She started out as a technocrat and diplomat focused on climate change but has also been an ambitious government minister Spain became one of the first nations to set a legal goal to reach climate neutrality by 2050 a target the EU later adopted for the entire bloc Ribera brokered deals with unions and industry to phase out coal and nuclear power — on the way becoming a darling of the international climate movement.  she has led on discussions about implementing the EU’s green agenda she has been a go-to source to help deliver deals at the United Nations annual COP climate summits.  Ribera also negotiated a carveout from EU electricity market rules for the Iberian Peninsula allowing it to set its electricity prices separately “Teresa Ribera has the rare ability to broker difficult deals: on just transition with Spanish coal workers and a fossil fuel phase-out with major petrostates She will need these skills in Brussels,” said Linda Kalcher the executive director of the Strategic Perspectives think tank These achievements won Ribera the complete trust of Spain’s leader Pedro Sánchez who made her a deputy prime minister and asked her to lead the nation’s economic recovery from the pandemic Sánchez then made Ribera getting a top job in the Commission one of his core political priorities despite her initial reluctance to leave Spain.  The challenges Ribera faces in Brussels have been on display in recent weeks The center-right European People’s Party (EPP) argued she is too left-wing and anti-industry to be responsible for pivotal economic policy.  “The nomination of Teresa Ribera is a challenge,” said Peter Liese Referring to the previous Socialist in charge of EU green policy Liese exhorted Ribera to show greater consideration for industry and agriculture: “She should under no circumstances continue Frans Timmermans’ policy unaltered … I hope that the other commissioners push for this — if necessary in conflict with the vice president.” French government officials have also raised concerns about her views on nuclear power Ribera has never been against atomic energy on principle but she argued that sun-rich Spain had cheaper options than its aging fleet of nuclear plants France has also clashed with Ribera over a proposed energy connection across the Pyrenees that Paris has resisted saying the decisions capitals made about their energy mix had been treated with “great respect” in Brussels Ribera noted she had brokered deals on the EU level that were big wins for nuclear Von der Leyen’s proposed Commission balances these concerns by surrounding Ribera with numerous right-leaning commissioners the EPP’s Wopke Hoekstra is in line to retain a climate portfolio reporting to Ribera "Hoekstra is close to von der Leyen and can be a guard dog of his bosses to make sure Ribera doesn't go too far with the green agenda,” an EU diplomat said.  Von der Leyen also offered a major industrial strategy role to French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné a close ally of French President Emmanuel Macron was also nominated for the environment job — a major shift from Virginijus Sinkevičius who now sits with the Greens in the European Parliament.  Luxembourg's EPP politician Christophe Hansen is in line for the agriculture portfolio providing another potential counterweight to Ribera who wants the agriculture industry to go faster on emissions cuts than her right-leaning counterparts “Obviously people will look a lot at the [executive vice presidents] I think the key holders are the holders of the individual files,” said the senior Commission official Ribera’s unwieldy official title of “executive vice president” for a “clean just and competitive transition” barely obscures the breadth of her duties It notably includes the job of competition chief which turned Danish politician Margrethe Vestager — or Europe’s “tax lady,” as former U.S President Donald Trump called her — into a household name.  von der Leyen wants Ribera to lead work on designing a “Clean Industrial Deal” bill to boost climate-friendly technologies enshrining a 2040 emissions-cutting target of 90 percent into law redrawing taxation to match EU climate goals and ensuring social fairness in the green transition alongside drawing up a new state aid framework and enforcing competition rules.  climate-related work will be delegated to the commissioners working under her a Socialist chosen to run energy and housing policy.  is the person who “will guide the work to ensure that Europe stays on track for its goals set out in the European Green Deal and that we decarbonize and industrialize our economy at the same time.”  Max Griera and Barbara Moens contributed reporting from Strasbourg Acting Assistant Secretary Tommy Joyce also took aim at Joe Biden’s climate legacy.