The European Commission has appointed Branko Baričević as the first head of the Commission’s new representation office in Croatia.

Baričević was Croatia’s ambassador to the EU between 2005 and March 2012, when he was replaced by Vladimir Drobnjak.

A career diplomat and trained doctor, Baričević had previously served in the United States, Cyprus and Portugal.

He will take up his new position on 1 July, when Croatia joins the Union as its 28th member.

The Commission’s representation office will replace the current EU delegation in Zagreb, headed by Paul Vandoren, a Belgian national, and have 19 staff members – around one-quarter of the size of the current delegation. The delegation will be located in the ‘Europe House’ in downtown Zagreb that also hosts the European Parliament’s office.

The Commission has representation offices in all member states, overseen by Viviane Reding, the European commissioner for justice, fundamental rights and citizenship.