Reuters. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will not attend this year's United Nations climate change summit, known as COP29 (to be held in Azerbaijani capital Baku), a Commission spokesperson told Reuters on Tuesday.
Von der Leyen will skip the climate talks because of political developments in Brussels. There, EU lawmakers are vetting the members of her new European Commission, who will lead EU policymaking for the next five years.
"The Commission is in a transition phase and the president will therefore focus on her institutional duties," the spokesperson said.
The new EU Commission is not expected to be in place before December. The COP29 summit will takes place from Nov. 11-22 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
European Council President Charles Michel will attend the summit, a spokesperson for Michel said. The EU will be represented during the COP29 negotiations by Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra and the bloc's team of climate negotiators.
