Today, Thomas de Béthune has been appointed as new Head of the European Commission Representation in Belgium. In this function, he will act as the official representative of the European Commission in Belgium under the political authority of President Ursula von der Leyen. The date of effect of his appointment will be 1 September.
Mr de Béthune, a Belgian national, brings considerable experience in urban management, communication, negotiation and political coordination. With two decades of service in EU institutions and with the Belgian authorities, he has a remarkable understanding of inter-institutional relations within EU structures and deep knowledge of local development and innovative financial instruments for implementing EU policies and legislation. He has a particularly strong background in conceiving sustainable funding solutions for Urban Development, often in co-operation with Financial Institutions such as the World Bank and the European Investment Bank. These engagements have also provided him with substantial experience in undertaking representation duties vis-à-vis stakeholders outside the Commission, which will be an invaluable asset in his new capacity.
Mr de Béthune currently serves as a team leader at the Commission's Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) in the 'Urban Policy' Unit. Previously, he was the Head of the Western Balkans Investment Framework at DG Enlargement, where he managed donors and beneficiaries and authored the Western Balkans regional infrastructure plan for 2010-2013. Before joining the Commission, Mr de Béthune held senior-level position in the Belgian Federal government, managing regeneration programs and coordinating Belgian urban policies. He also worked in the Cabinet of the Minister-President of Brussels Capital Region as expert for regional development, negotiating and transposing EU laws and EU programmes for urban policy.
Mr de Béthune is a polytechnical engineer and a specialisation in Urban Development from the Institute of Political Sciences in Paris.
Background
The Commission maintains Representations in all capitals of EU Member States, and Regional Offices in Barcelona, Bonn, Marseille, Milan, Munich and Wroclaw. The Representations are the Commission's eyes, ears and voice on the ground in EU Member States. They interact with national authorities, stakeholders and citizens, and inform the media and the public about EU policies. Heads of Representations are appointed by the President of the European Commission and are her political representatives in the Member State to which they are posted.
