Latvia taps Piebalgs for EU energy commissioner second term
(RIGA) - Crisis-hit Latvia nominated its current EU Commissioner Andris Piebalgs for a second term to oversee energy issues in the 27-member bloc, a government statement said Tuesday.
"Based on the Treaty establishing the European Community, the government supported the candidacy of Andris Piebalgs for the position of a member of the European Commission," the statement said.
A former teacher, Piebalgs, 52, has served as the EU's Energy Commissioner since 2004 when Latvia joined the European Union along with nine other mostly ex-communist states.
His term runs out on October 31 along with the rest of the EU Commission, the EU's executive arm. It is up to member states to nominate a new candidate.
European laws allow member states to appoint commissioners for an unlimited number of terms.
Although commissioners are allocated between all 27 EU member states, they do not represent their countries in the European Commission.
The European Parliament must vote on all candidates presented by member states.
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