Hansen’s remit would cover food security — a key issue addressed in a strategic farming dialogue that von der Leyen has held this year that she wants to convert into a 100-day action plan for agriculture. But food safety — which includes issues like pesticides and genetically modified crops — would remain along with animal welfare the responsibility of Hungary’s designated health commissioner, Olivér Várhelyi.

“His main challenge is to avoid being limited in his role as a Commissioner to the structural fund dimension of the CAP, but to have the necessary room of maneuver to oversee the various policies having an impact on the agriculture sector [such as] nutrition, trade and climate dimensions,” said Luc Vernet, from the industry think tank Farm Europe. 

Hansen has the political advantage of coming from a small country with close geographic and linguistic ties with EU heavyweights France and Germany. Jean-Claude Juncker made a political career out of that unique selling point, rising from finance minister to prime minister and — ultimately — becoming president of the European Commission.

“[Hansen] is incredibly ambitious,” said Moroz, from EEB. “I think the main driver is very much his political career, so this [being an EU commissioner] would be a stepping stone to something bigger.”

However, agriculture is a “can of worms,” quipped Martin Hojsik, a liberal MEP from Slovakia who is a vice president of the European Parliament and sits on its environment committee. “You have to be very lucky to get politically healthy out of this.”