The European Parliament’s written questions were put to – and answered – candidates for Commission Commissioner. As is already known, the hearings for the new Commissioners of the Commission will take place from November 4th to 14th.
The European Parliament invites designated Commissioners to appear at confirmation hearings before the relevant committees in order to determine their suitability for the portfolios they propose to assume.
MEPs will assess during the hearing whether the designated commissioners have the independence, skills and European commitment to serve as members of the new European Commission.
The process
Before the hearings, Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee examines candidates’ declarations of interests to ensure that there are no conflicts of interest of a financial nature, which is a prerequisite for holding the hearings. Candidates must also respond to written questions from parliamentary committees.
Before each confirmation hearing, the biographies of the Commissioners-designate, information about the portfolios they propose to take up, and their responses to committees’ written questions are published on Parliament’s website.
At approval hearings, candidates and designated commissioners present their programs and answer oral questions from MEPs. These hearings are broadcast live on the internet.
After the hearings, the committee chairmen, together with representatives of the political groups, evaluate the candidates for commissioner and prepare their evaluation letters. Candidates and designated Commissioners may be invited to respond to further written questions or to participate in a new hearing.
The commissioners-designate responded to written questions that the EP committees and MEPs addressed to them.
An essential part of the hearing process, these responses are now published on the EP’s dedicated website (language versions will be presented within 48 hours) ⤵️https://t.co/EXOv4YAMBb
-Delphine Collard (@DelphineCollard) October 22, 2024
If the evaluation of an application is negative, the Member State that proposed it may, in cooperation with the President of the European Commission, replace it with another. Each new candidate must go through all preparatory steps and undergo an approval hearing in Parliament.
At the end of the procedure, the Conference of Committee Chairs examines the evaluation letters and transmits them to the Conference of Presidents, a body composed of the President and the heads of Parliament’s political groups. The Conference of Presidents may request further information or terminate the hearing process.
Once the approval hearings are concluded, the President of the European Commission is invited to a plenary debate, where she presents the Chamber of Commissioners designated, as well as the program she intends to implement. The European Parliament then votes on the new European Commission as a whole.
The program
HEREBy clicking on the Commissioner’s name you will be able to see his CV and the answers to the written questions.