<h6><strong>Ane Barcos</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The European Commission confirmed on Monday that it does not consider it necessary to proceed with a formal delegation of functions for its president, Ursula von der Leyen, despite the fact that she is convalescing due to severe pneumonia. In any case, it admitted that, in the event that a delegation of responsibilities were required, the first in the line of succession would be the executive vice president Teresa Ribera.</strong></h4> Paula Pinho, spokesperson for the institution, reported that, although Von der Leyen has cancelled all her face-to-face meetings scheduled for the first half of January, she continues to lead the activities of the organization from her residence in Hanover. The president is not currently in Brussels, given that her recovery is the priority at this time, she added. According to Pinho, in the event that a delegation of responsibilities were required, the first in the line of succession would be the Spanish Teresa Ribera. However, she stressed that, although pneumonia is a serious illness, “there has been no need to appoint” a replacement for Von der Leyen, as she continues to work remotely and maintains daily contact with her team. As an example of her commitment, she mentioned a recent call she had with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, prior to the latter's trip to the United States. Regarding the official visit of the College of Commissioners to Poland, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union since January 1, the spokesperson confirmed that it has been postponed due to the president's state of health. Although a new date for the meeting has not yet been set, Pinho assured that the decision was taken by mutual agreement with the Polish authorities and that notification will be made in due time when it is rescheduled. The European Commission maintains its position that there is no need to make adjustments to institutional leadership at this time, trusting that Ursula von der Leyen will continue to perform her duties effectively while advancing in her recovery process.
