The Diplomat in Spain

The Diplomat. 02/07/2018

For the moment, there will not be changes in the team of the Foreign Ministry in charge of European affairs, according to information provided to The Diplomat by reliable sources.

The new secretary of State of the EU, Marco Aguiriano, has apparently confirmed in their position the three directors general dependent on him: José Pascual Marco (Coordination of Common Policies and General Affairs of the European Union); Pascual Navarro (Coordination of the Domestic Market and other Community Policies) and Juan López-Herrera (Bilateral Relations with Countries of the European Union, Candidate Countries and Countries of the European Economic Area).

Although future changes have not been ruled out, the sources consulted consider that Aguiriano, who has a thirty-year-old experience in the European Parliament, knows the importance of not breaking the line of work maintained in matters of the EU in Spain, which has favored the creation of a group of diplomatic experts on community affairs, who have worked with Governments of different signs.

Furthermore, his decision may have been influenced by the moment the negotiation of the United Kingdom is living due to its exit from the EU and, in particular, the negotiations with London related to the future of Gibraltar once the Brexit takes place.