The European Commission has appointed Jan Truszczyński as Director-General of the Education and Culture DG.

He will be responsible for overall management of the Directorate-General and its staff of over 650 women and men. This is the first appointment at Director-General level of a national of an EU-12 member state.

Mr Truszczyński will provide leadership to the Education and Culture DG in carrying out its work in the areas of education, training, culture, youth, citizenship, multilingualism and sport. The Directorate-General manages a budget that amounted to € 1,406 million in 2009.

Mr Jan Truszczyński, a 59-year-old Pole, is currently Deputy Director-General of the Education and Culture DG. He joined the European Commission in January 2007, when he was appointed Deputy Director-General for Enlargement, with responsibility for enlargement strategy and communication.

From 2001 to 2005 Mr Truszczyński was first Undersecretary of State, then Secretary of State in the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In this capacity, he was Poland's chief negotiator during its EU accession negotiations.

Prior to that, Mr Truszczyński was Ambassador of Poland to the EU in Brussels from 1996 to 2001.

Mr Truszczyński is expected to take up his duties on 1 May 2010.

(EU rapid press release)