Romania’s initial nominee, Victor Negrescu, was withdrawn following von der Leyen’s tempting offer of a more esteemed portfolio to countries that nominated a female candidate. In response, Romania proposed Roxana Mînzatu, thereby securing a Vice-President position.
Roxana Mînzatu has been appointed Executive Vice-President for People, Skills, and Preparedness, with additional responsibilities for quality jobs. A long-standing member of the Social Democratic Party since her time at the University of Bucharest, where she earned a BA in political science, Mînzatu later completed an MA in European Integration at Dimitrie Cantemir Christian University in 2005.
Roxana Mînzatu’s political career began when she became a member of her local Brasov district council from 2004-2008 and again in 2011 and 2012. Before becoming State Secretary in the Ministry of European Funds in 2015, Mînzatu took the role of executive manager at the Brasov Branch of the Romanian Business School. Elected to the Romanian Parliament in 2016 as a representative for Brasov, she later reached the peak of her political career in Romania by becoming the Minister of European Funds and most recently served as a Member of the European Parliament.
People, Skills and Preparedness
Roxana Mînzatu will play a key role in enhancing Europe’s human capital by fostering the development of people and reinforcing the EU’s social model. In collaboration with other commissioners, she will focus on implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights, addressing skills and workforce shortages by improving access to education and training. Additionally, Mînzatu will work to ensure generational fairness by promoting equality and building a culture of preparedness, enabling citizens to adapt to societal changes and emerging risks.
European Pillar of Social Rights
Mînzatu will oversee efforts to ensure the EU’s social market economy supports the transformation of its industries and societies, completing the Single Market and delivering quality jobs. She will also focus on fostering greater equality and lifting more people out of poverty. She will present a new Action Plan for the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights in 2025, as well as a new Pact for European Social Dialogue. Other pivotal initiatives under her leadership will include an EU Anti-Poverty Strategy, a European Affordable Housing Plan, the right to disconnect, a strengthened Child Guarantee to prevent social exclusion and new ways to facilitate labour mobility further.
A Union of Skills
Lastly, Roxana Mînzatu will be responsible for creating a “Union of Skills” by promoting investment, lifelong learning, skill retention and enhanced skills intelligence. Mînzatu has been tasked with continuing work on the European Education Area, the European Degree and the European Universities Alliances to promote skills development, learning mobility and inclusiveness. She will also prepare a Skills Portability Initiative and develop an Action Plan on Basic Skills and a STEM Education Strategic Plan, which will include a roadmap for the future of digital education and training.
Conclusion
In her new role, Roxana Mînzatu will be instrumental in advancing Europe’s social and economic future by fostering skills development, addressing labour gaps, and promoting social equality. Her leadership will carry initiatives that strengthen human capital, enhance education and training, and build a more inclusive, prepared, and resilient European society.
