28-05-2025
New director-general appointed for EU agriculture
The European Commission has decided today (Wednesday, May 28) to appoint Elisabeth Werner as director-general for the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI).
The date of effect of this decision will be June 1, according to the commission.
DG AGRI supports and promotes a knowledge and evidence-based green and digital transition towards a sustainable, competitive, and resilient EU agriculture, rural areas and food systems, including food security.
It is responsible for developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). DG AGRI is led by Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Christophe Hansen.
Elisabeth Werner. Image source: European Commission
New director-general
With over 25 years of experience within the European Commission, Werner is said to bring a combination of institutional knowledge, budgetary expertise, and coordination skills across a wide range of policy areas.
Her background includes extensive work on numerous strategic files, including in the field of land transport, competitiveness, clean industry, and sustainability.
The commission has stated that she has successfully managed teams and coordinated complex files, often requiring close collaboration with other institutions and stakeholders.
'Her experience in shaping policies that intersect with sustainability, competitiveness, resilience and budgetary implementation make her particularly well-suited to work on the multifaceted challenges of the agricultural sector,' the commission stated.
'Ms. Werner's ability to work across sectors and align policy, funding, and implementation tools will be key to advancing an integrated approach to agriculture that supports farmers, strengthens rural communities, and delivers on the EU's ambitions.'
Werner, an Austrian national, is currently deputy secretary-general at the Secretariat-General of the European Commission.
Prior to this, she was director for land transport at the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) where she was responsible for interinstitutional relations, communication and coordination.
In earlier stages of her career, she was senior expert and then head of cabinet of vice-president Georgieva (2014-2016) focusing on human resources (HR), budgetary matters and anti-fraud.
She also took on several head of unit positions at DG MOVE and the Directorate-General for Budget (DG BUDG). Werner joined the European Commission in 1996.
