06 December 2023
On the 6th of December, the European Commission appointed Mr Herald Ruijters as Deputy Director-General of the Directorate-General for Transport and Mobility (DG MOVE), in charge of 'Investment, Innovative and Sustainable Transport' and Ms Michela Matuella as Director 'Waterborne' at the Directorate-General for Transport and Mobility (DG MOVE). The Director General of DG MOVE is, since few months, Ms Magda Kopczynska who has been in the past Director 'Waterborne' within DG MOVE.
Mr Ruijters brings a wealth of experience to his role, with a 30-year career in the transport and energy sector, including two decades within the Commission. His extensive knowledge in the transport domain has played a pivotal role in shaping legislative procedures and Directives across various areas such as TEN-T, military mobility, research, innovation, urban mobility as well as passenger rights, social, and equality aspects.
Mr Ruijters is currently Director for 'Investment, Innovative and Sustainable Transport' responsible for, among others, all transport related budgetary instruments. He is also Member of the Steering Board for InvestEU.
Ms Matuella has taken up various management positions in the Commission in the past two decades. With a background encompassing external relations, enlargement negotiations, and development cooperation, she brings with her a wealth of cross-cutting policy experience.
Michela Matuella served in the EU Delegations in Eritrea and Lesotho and also worked in the Cabinet of the former Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy, Štefan Füle. She is currently holding the position of Head of Unit for Albania and North Macedonia and Acting Director for Western Balkans in the Directorate-General for European Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations.