Maroš Šefčovič

Born in Bratislava, Šefčovič originally enrolled at the University of Economics in his hometown in 1984, but left the university after one year to pursue a degree in Russia at Moscow State Institute of International Relations, where he studied from 1985 to 1990.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

In June 1987, Šefčovič became a candidate for membership of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. After the two-year candidacy period, during which he had to secure three approvals from other party members and undertook to "deepen his knowledge of Marxism–Leninism", he filed an application for party membership in May 1989. The party approved his application on 1 June 1989 and he became an official member.{{Cite web|url=https://dennikn.sk/1420707/sefcovicova-prihlaska-do-ksc-este-v-maji-1989-chcel-aktivne-budovat-socializmus/|title=Šefčovičova prihláška do KSČ: Ešte v máji 1989 chcel aktívne budovať socializmus|newspaper=Denník N|publisher=N Press|date=24 March 2019|access-date=25 March 2019|language=sk}}

In 2000, he obtained a PhD in international law at Comenius University in Bratislava. The subject of his dissertation thesis was Sources of the EU law and respective legislative procedures.{{Cite web|url=http://alis.uniba.sk:8088/lib/item?id=chamo:102543|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607084635/http://alis.uniba.sk:8088/lib/item?id=chamo:102543|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 June 2019|title=Detaily exemplára|website=Comenius University|language=sk}}

Šefčovič is a former diplomat, having served in Zimbabwe, Canada, as well as the Slovak ambassador to Israel (1999–2002). He was also the Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to the European Union (2004–2009).

Šefčovič replaced Ján Figeľ as European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth on 1 October 2009.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

Šefčovič's responsibilities included the administration of the Commission and management of some of the Commission's Internal Services; in particular consolidation of administrative reform, personnel and administration, European Schools and security.[http://ec.europa.eu/archives/commission_2010-2014/sefcovic/about/mandate/index_en.htm Mandate Description on European Commission website], archived on 17 November 2014 From 19 April 2014 to 25 May 2014, José Manuel Barroso was an Acting Commissioner in Šefčovič's stead while he was on electoral campaign leave for the 2014 elections to the European Parliament.{{cite web|url=https://euobserver.com/news/123733|title=Six commissioners head for EU election campaign trail|website=EUobserver|date=3 April 2014 }}

Šefčovič was appointed Vice-President of the European Commission for Energy Union in 2014.{{cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/commission/commissioners/2014-2019/sefcovic_en|title=Maroš Šefčovič|date=1 September 2015|website=European Commission}} In July 2015, he brokered an agreement between fifteen countries from central, eastern and southeast Europe to speed up the building of gas links, improve security of supply, reduce their reliance on Russia and develop a fully integrated energy market.{{Cite web|first=Maja|last=Zuvela|title=European states agree to boost gas links, reduce reliance on Russia|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/europe-gas-links-idUSL8N0ZQ2T420150710|website=Reuters|date=10 July 2015|access-date=2 December 2024}}

When digital single market Andrus Ansip stepped down from the European Commission to take up his seat in the European Parliament following the 2019 elections, the Commission's President Jean-Claude Juncker announced that Ansip's portfolio would be transferred to Šefčovič.{{Cite web|first1=Carmen|last1=Paun|first2=Lili|last2=Bayer|title=Council rebuffs Juncker's plan to leave commissioner seats vacant|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/council-rebuffs-juncker-plan-to-leave-commissioner-seats-vacant/|website=Politico Europe|date=8 July 2019|access-date=2 December 2024}}

File:Hearings Maroš Šefčovič (Slovakia) - Vice president-designate - interinstitutional relations and foresight. (48820949278).jpg

In September 2019, newly-elected president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen named Šefčovič as vice-president for interinstitutional relations and foresight.{{Cite web|title=Šefčovič continues as vice-president of the Commission|url=https://spectator.sme.sk/c/22208959/sefcovic-continues-as-vice-president-of-the-commission.html|website=The Slovak Spectator|date=10 September 2019|access-date=1 October 2019}} From 2021, he served as co-chairman and represented the European Union in the Partnership Council established by the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.{{Cite magazine|first=Mia|last=Bartoloni|title=Movers & Shakers|url=https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/news/article/movers-and-shakers-22-january-2021|magazine=The Parliament Magazine|date=22 January 2021}} In 2023, von der Leyen appointed Šefčovič to replace Frans Timmermans as European Commissioner for Climate Action.{{Cite web|first1=Charlotte|last1=Van Campenhout|first2=Yun-chee|last2=Foo|title=EU's Šefčovič named interim climate chief after Timmermans quits|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eus-timmermans-confirmed-leader-dutch-leftist-parties-ticket-election-2023-08-22/|website=Reuters|date=22 August 2023|access-date=2 December 2024}}

On 22 August 2023, after Frans Timmermans resigned from the European Commission to run in the 2023 Dutch general election for the GroenLinks–PvdA alliance, Šefčovič succeeded him as Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal. The position of European Commissioner for Climate Action was also assigned to Šefčovič on a temporary basis until a permanent successor has been chosen by the Netherlands.

On 18 January 2019, Šefčovič announced that he would stand as a candidate in the 2019 Slovak presidential race, with support of the Smer–SD party.{{Cite web|title=Šefčovič prijal ponuku Smeru, ohlásil kandidatúru na prezidenta|url=https://domov.sme.sk/c/22031916/prezidentske-volby-2019-maros-sefcovic-bude-kandidovat.html|website=Sme|publisher=Petit Press|date=18 March 2019|access-date=2 December 2024|language=sk}}

In the first round of the election held on 16 March, Šefčovič received 18.66% of the vote and came in second place after Zuzana Čaputová, who received 40.57% of votes. They both qualified for the second round run-off, which took place on 30 March. Šefčovič was defeated by Čaputová, receiving 41.59% of the vote versus 58.41% of votes for his opponent.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

• GLOBSEC, Member of the International Advisory Council[https://www.globsec.org/who-we-are/international-advisory-council International Advisory Council] GLOBSEC.

During his presidential campaign, Šefčovič repeatedly spoke against legislative changes which would improve the status of LGBT rights in Slovakia, strongly opposing both civil partnerships and same-sex adoptions. He dubbed his opponent Čaputová (who is in favour of both) as a candidate who is forcing a "new ultraliberal agenda" on Slovakia, comparing the second round of elections to a referendum on such an agenda, which he considered to be "in exact contradiction to traditional Christian values".{{Cite web|url=https://dennikn.sk/1413204/sefcovic-vystartoval-po-caputovej-od-prvej-minuty-jej-liberalna-agenda-sa-nezhoduje-s-krestanskymi-hodnotami/|title=Šefčovič útočil na Čaputovú od prvej minúty: Jej liberálna agenda sa nezhoduje s kresťanskými hodnotami|website=Denník N|publisher=N Press|date=18 March 2019|access-date=2 December 2024|language=sk}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/c572379e-48af-11e9-8b7f-d49067e0f50d|title=EU centrist faces swing to right to secure Slovak poll victory|newspaper=Financial Times|date=18 March 2019|access-date=18 March 2019}} He also stated that "we cannot support any further steps towards civil unions or same-sex adoptions because these would go precisely against our traditional Christian values", calling this stance as his "very natural position" due to his Christianity.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtvs.sk/televizia/archiv/14236/182173|title=Voľby prezidenta SR 2019 – diskusia s dvoma kandidátmi|website=Radio and Television of Slovakia|access-date=18 March 2019|language=sk}}{{Cite web|url=https://tv.pravda.sk/relacie/ide-o-pravdu/epizoda/1003-caputova-a-sefcovic-by-slovensko-mafianskym-statom-nikdy-nenazvali|title=Čaputová a Šefčovič by Slovensko mafiánskym štátom nikdy nenazvali|website=Pravda|publisher=Perex|date=18 March 2019|access-date=2 December 2024|language=sk}} According to his opinion, discussions about "such experiments bring great unrest to society".{{Cite web|url=https://domov.sme.sk/c/22078370/prezidentske-volby-maros-sefcovic-retorika-kampan.html|title=Je problém, že mladí cítia skôr národne ako európsky, vravel Šefčovič|website=Sme|publisher=Petit Press|access-date=18 March 2019|language=sk}} Šefčovič supported and welcomed the position of the Slovak parliament and government not to ratify the Istanbul Convention (aimed against violence against women and domestic violence), citing his concerns about so-called "gender ideology".{{Cite web|url=https://www.ta3.com/clanok/1151464/duel-caputovej-so-sefcovicom-pred-2-kolom-volieb.html|title=Duel Čaputovej so Šefčovičom pred 2. kolom volieb|website=TA3|date=27 March 2019|access-date=28 March 2019|language=sk}}

Šefčovič also criticised his opponent Čaputová for her opinions on the migrant crisis and related policies. He emphasised the importance of a speedy deportation policy, so that "people who do not have any business here are sent to their home countries as quickly as possible".{{Cite web|url=https://plus7dni.pluska.sk/domov/ficov-nezavislak-sefcovic-smerakoch-aj-definicii-slovenskeho-zlodeja|title= Ficov nezávislák: Šefčovič o Smerákoch aj o definícii slovenského zlodeja|website=Plus jeden deň|publisher= News and Media Holding|date=13 March 2019|access-date=18 March 2019|language=sk}} Furthermore, he pointed out that "it has to be Slovaks who decide who comes to our country". Šefčovič has criticized Angela Merkel's actions in this area, labeling her "latest decisions which opened door to mass migration" as something that was not "thought-out very well".{{Cite web|url=https://dennikn.sk/1421483/newsfilter-caputova-zahanbila-sefcovica-v-zahranicnych-temach/?ref=tit1|title=Newsfilter: Čaputová zahanbila Šefčoviča v zahraničných témach|website=Denník N|publisher=N Press|date=25 March 2019|access-date=25 March 2019|language=sk}}

In the matter of Russia–EU relations, Šefčovič emphasised that he does not consider Russia to be any kind of threat. He also criticised imposed sanctions, stating that people are suffering from them.{{Cite web|url=https://www.etrend.sk/ekonomika/caputovu-a-sefcovica-rozdeluje-zahranicna-politika-2.html|title=Čaputovú a Šefčoviča rozdeľuje zahraničná politika|website=Trend.sk|publisher=News and Media Holding|date=26 March 2019|access-date=27 March 2019|language=sk}}

When asked about the Venezuelan presidential crisis, Šefčovič refused to identify either Nicolás Maduro or Juan Guaidó as legitimate president, stating that "leaning on one or the other side might worsen the situation".

Šefčovič rejects the idea of EU federalization, saying he is "against creating a European superstate", and considers tax policy, autonomous migration policy, and family law issues to be "red lines" which should not be crossed by the European Union.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ta3.com/clanok/1151267/prezidentsky-kandidat-maros-sefcovic.html|title=Prezidentský kandidát Maroš Šefčovič|website=TA3|publisher=C.E.N.|date=25 March 2019|access-date=25 March 2019|language=sk}}

Šefčovič is married to Helena Šefčovičová, with whom he has three children: Helena, Martina, and Maroš.{{Cite web|title=Official Biography|url=https://ec.europa.eu/commission/commissioners/sites/cwt/files/sefcovic_0.pdf|url-status=dead|website=European Commission|access-date=12 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180504030109/https://ec.europa.eu/commission/commissioners/sites/cwt/files/sefcovic_0.pdf|archive-date=4 May 2018}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Maroš Šefčovič}}

• [http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/2010/mediaGallery.cfm?&gallery=yes&sitelang=en#9640 Official Media Gallery]
• [https://ec.europa.eu/commission/commissioners/2014-2019/sefcovic_en Official website]

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Category:1966 births

Category:20th-century Slovak people

Category:21st-century Slovak people

Category:Ambassadors of Slovakia to Israel

Category:Direction – Social Democracy politicians

Category:Living people

Category:Slovak Christians

Category:Diplomats from Bratislava

Category:Permanent representatives of Slovakia to the European Union

Category:Slovak European commissioners

Category:University of Economics in Bratislava alumni

Category:Moscow State Institute of International Relations alumni

Category:Comenius University alumni

Category:European commissioners (2014–2019)

Category:European commissioners (2019–2024)

Category:European commissioners (2024–2029)

Category:Politicians from Bratislava

Category:Recipients of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 2nd class