EU DECODED: How will future European Commissioners be “vetted”?

The 26 nominees from their Member States will have to prove that they have the qualifications and political profile to take on the portfolios assigned to them by President Ursula Von der Leyen (which was already approved by the European Parliament last July).

EU DECODED explains the process, the political “games” and recalls what happens when some nominees are rejected. This happened to three nominees in 2019, and several others in the past!

“I think it’s a very important process because, at the end of the day, the Commissioners are elected indirectly, they don’t go through a popular vote. I think that going through the European Parliament is the essence of democracy in Europe,” said one of the citizens interviewed by Euronews.

So, what “tests” will they have to pass? The first stage took place in the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs, which analysed the declarations they submitted regarding potential financial and professional conflicts of interest. From November 4th, hearings with legislators from the  committees of the European Parliament will take place, depending on the policy area(s) in which the Commissioner will work.

“The hearing begins with a 15-minute presentation by the Commissioner on his/her priorities, followed by a question and answer session with MEPs – from the largest to the smallest political group – and ends with the final statements by the Commissioner-designate,” says Romane Armangau, a Euronews journalist.

EP “exerting their muscles”

About half – 15 commissioners – come from the centre-right EPP party, five from the Socialists and Democrats and another five from the liberal Renew Europe party. On the right wing, there is a member of the Patriots for Europe and one from the European Conservatives and Reformists. Is this a party framework that lends itself to some power plays?

“I think it is important to know that the European Parliament is trying to “exercise its muscles” because this is the moment when it has the most power over the European Commission. There is a growing climate of “tit for tat” between the various political parties in this process”, explained Sophia Russack, an analyst at the Centre for European Policy Studies.

What if some nominees do not pass the “grilling” process? In some member states, the head of state or government quickly nominates another person, in other countries the process is more complex because it requires approval from other institutions. The goal is to have the European Commission up and running by 1 December, but first it has to pass this crucial test.

Journalist: Isabel Marques da Silva

Production: Pilar Montero López

Video production: Zacharia Vigneron

Editorial coordination: Ana Lázaro Bosch and Jeremy Fleming-Jones