Olivér Várhelyi

Olivér Várhelyi
European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 December 2019
President	Ursula von der Leyen
Preceded by	Johannes Hahn
Personal details
Born	(1972-03-22) 22 March 1972 (age 49) Szeged, Hungary
Political party	Independent Fidesz (Affiliated)
Other political affiliations	European People's Party
Children	3
Education	Aalborg University University of Szeged

Olivér Várhelyi (born 22 March 1972 in Szeged) is a Hungarian lawyer and diplomat, and currently serves as the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement since 1 December, 2019.

Biography[]

Studies[]

Várhelyi obtained a Master degree in European Legal Studies at Aalborg University, Denmark, in 1994, and a law degree at the University of Szeged, in 1996. In 2005 he passed the bar exam.

As Commissioner[]

In 2019 Várhelyi was nominated by Hungary to the post of Commissioner in the von der Leyen Commission. He was entrusted with the portfolio of European Neighbourhood and Enlargement. As Commissioner, Várhelyi’s responsibility is to strengthen relations with the EU’s neighbouring countries.

His main focus is on the Western Balkans, a region with a clear European Union perspective. The region is a priority for the von der Leyen Commission. In this context, the Commissioner is tasked with driving the EU enlargement process forward. In February 2020, the Commission put forward a revised enlargement methodology to strengthen the credibility of the process, make it more predictable, inject dynamism and give it a stronger political steer. This allowed the decision by the EU Council to open accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia. The revised methodology will also be applied to Serbia and Montenegro.

Commissioner Várhelyi is also working on strengthening relations with the Eastern Partnership countries, both bilaterally as well as multilaterally. In the spring of 2020, the Commission and the High Representative proposed five long-term policy objectives for the region, with economic development and connectivity at the core. At the start of 2021, a proposal was put forward for a renewed and ambitious partnership with EU’s Southern neighbours.

The COVID-19 pandemic has heavily affected the EU’s neighbours. During this time the Commission stood by the partners. Emergency support was granted and significant financial assistance was reallocated to mitigate socio-economic impact of the crisis. The EU also provided vaccines for the partners, for example delivering 651.000 doses of Biontech/Pfizer to

the Western Balkans. The Commissioner is working with the partners to support their post-pandemic economic recovery, including by putting forward Economic and Investment Plans for the three regions.

Commissioner Várhelyi is also responsible for Turkey together with the High Representative.

Career before becoming Commissioner[]

Commissioner Várhelyi started his career in 1996 as a desk officer in the Ministry for Industry and Trade, Office for European Affairs Department for EC Coordination and Harmonisation in Hungary. He then moved to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he was tasked with the alignment of the EU acquis. From 1998 to 2001 he was chief of cabinet of the head of the legal unit of the ministry. He then moved to Brussels, and joined the Hungarian Mission to the EU, as legal counsellor (2001-2003), and then as head of legal service until 2006. From 2006, for two years, Várhelyi served as head of the EU law department at the Hungarian Ministry of Justice. In 2008, he moved to Brussels again, where he served as Head of Unit, responsible for Industrial Property Rights in the European Commission’s Directorate General Internal Market and Services. In 2011, he became the Deputy Permanent Representative of Hungary to the European Union, whereas from 2015 to 2019 he was the Permanent Representative. He held this office until his appointment as EU Commissioner.

Personal[]

Olivér Várhelyi is married and has three children.

External links[]

Media related to Olivér Várhelyi at Wikimedia Commons