Margaritis Schinas took office as Vice-President of the European Commission under President Ursula Von Der Leyen in December 2019. He is entrusted with the portfolio for Promoting our European Way of Life. In this capacity, he oversees the EU’s policies for Security Union, migration, skills, education and integration.

As Vice-President in charge of the Security Union, he oversees and coordinates all strands of the European Commission’s work under the Security Union, including tackling terrorism and radicalisation, disrupting organised crime, fighting cybercrime, stepping up cybersecurity, protecting critical infrastructures or addressing hybrid threats. 

Mr Schinas has also served as a Member of the European Parliament. Upon the completion of his parliamentary term of office, he returned to the European Commission and held various senior positions. In particular, in 2010, President Barroso appointed Mr Schinas as Deputy Head of the Bureau of European Policy Advisers. Later he served as Resident Director and Head of the Athens Office of the European Commission’s Directorate‑General for Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN). In 2014, President Juncker appointed Mr Schinas as the Chief European Commission Spokesperson. Mr Schinas has been working for the European Commission in various positions of responsibility since 1990.

Margaritis Schinas holds an MSc on Public Administration and Public Policy from the London School of Economics, a Diploma of Advanced European Studies on European Administrative Studies from the College of Europe in Bruges and a Degree in Law from the Aristotelean University of Thessaloniki.