Ave Schank-Lukas to become new head of European Commission's representation in Estonia

TALLINN - Ave Schank-Lukas, the current deputy head of the European Commission's representation in Estonia, has been appointed to lead the office.

Schank-Lukas has worked at the European Commission for 20 years, with experience in strategic leadership in both policy and economic matters. She has represented the European Commission in international negotiations and led trilateral negotiations during Estonia's presidency of the Council of the European Union. Since 2020, Schank-Lukas has served as economic adviser at the Commission's Estonian representation and, for the past year, has also been acting head of the office.

She studied economics at the University of Tartu and the University of Southern Denmark.

"Although the European Union is an economic union, its role in ensuring security is becoming increasingly important. That is why, right now, it is essential to stand together so that Estonia's voice is Europe's voice. I see it as a key task in my new role to keep Estonia as close to the European Union as possible, and vice versa. These cannot be separated. Estonia is Europe, Estonia can help shape all of Europe's policies, and Estonia's voice matters in decision-making," Schank-Lukas said.

The role of the Commission's representation is to engage with national authorities, stakeholders, and citizens, and to keep the media and public informed about EU policy. The head of the representation is appointed by the president of the European Commission and serves as the president's political representative in the member state.

The previous head, Vivian Loonela, took office on Dec. 1, 2024, as head of cabinet to High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas.