EU FACES A TIME OF CHALLENGES

Boosting group's competitiveness, managing relationship with Beijing among major issues ahead

When European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the next college of commissioners for her second five-year term on Sept 17, she said "the whole college is committed to competitiveness" and "all commissioners must work together".

It came just a day after the abrupt resignation of the powerful French Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton, who openly accused von der Leyen of "questionable governance" and trying to exclude him from the next commission.

Unlike the departure of former executive vice-president Frans Timmermans, who quit a year ago to run for Dutch prime minister, Breton's public display of discontent has been seen by some as embarrassing for von der Leyen, but also described by others as a victory for von der Leyen in her grip on power.