Nieuwe chef-econoom DG Mededinging (en)

Professor Damien Neven has been appointed by the European Commission as the Chief Economist in the Commission’s Competition Directorate General. Professor Neven has a Doctorate in Economics from Nuffield College (Oxford )and is currently a Professor of International Economics and the Director of Undergraduate Studies at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva which he joined in 2001. He taught at INSEAD from 1986 to 1991, the University of Liège from 1991 to 1993 and at the University of Lausanne from 1993-2001.

The Chief Economist assists in evaluating the economic impact of the Commission’s actions in the competition field, and provides independent guidance on methodological issues of economics and econometrics in the application of EU competition rules. He contributes to individual competition cases (in particular ones involving complex economic issues and quantitative analysis), to the development of general policy instruments, as well as assisting with cases pending before the Community Courts.

The Chief Economist is appointed for a non-renewable three year term. The mandate of the first Chief Economist, Lars-Hendrik Roeller, expires at the end of July, after which he will take up the post of President and Chairman of the Management Board of the European School of Management and Technology in Berlin.

Professor Neven will take up the Chief Economist post in the coming weeks.

Professor Neven’s appointment follows that of Nadia Calviño, currently Director General of Competition within the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Finance, as Deputy Director-General of the Directorate-General for Competition in charge of mergers (see IP/06/1024). These appointments confirm the Commission’s commitment to ensuring the highest standards of expertise in its application of the competition rules.