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Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Jozef Síkela – International Partnerships

Briefing 15-10-2024

Jozef Síkela (Mayors and Independents Party, STAN) affiliated to the European People's Party (EPP), has served as the Czech minister for industry and trade since December 2021. In this position, his focus has been on reducing his country's reliance on Russian gas, developing the use of renewable energy sources and securing stakes in German and Dutch liquefied natural gas (LNG). Síkela has served in various banks, notably as the head of the Slovak Savings Bank and as board member of the Austrian Erste Group Bank. Born in 1967 in Rokycany, Czechia, Síkela studied foreign trade economics at the Prague University of Economics and Business.