The hearings will start on 4 November and take place until 12 November. The Conference of Presidents also decided on the division of responsibilities among committees for the confirmation hearings. The detailed schedule of which Commissioner-designate will be heard at what time will be decided by the Conference of Presidents at its next meeting.
The European Parliament invites Commissioners-designate to appear before the appropriate committees for hearings in order to scrutinise if they are suitable for the posts they have been assigned to.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said: “The hearings for the Commissioners-designate are an important moment for European democracy. European Parliament members will thoroughly vet every candidate’s competence, independence and European commitment before voting on the College as a whole. Democracy will cut no corners. With a new legislative term comes new expectations. Rightly so, citizens want solutions to their concerns. The European Parliament will continue playing its role to ensure that our European Union delivers.”
The procedure
Ahead of the hearings, Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs scrutinises the declarations of interests of the Commissioners-designate. In order for a Commissioner-designate to take part in a hearing, there must be no conflicts of interest.
Depending on the portfolio, a Commissioner-designate can be assessed by one parliamentary committee (committee responsible) or by more than one committee (joint committees). Other committees may be invited to participate, meaning they can contribute with oral questions while the final evaluation of candidates lies with the coordinators of the committee(s) responsible.
The hearings will be followed by meetings in which the committee chair and group representatives (coordinators) of the various committees will assess whether a Commissioner-designate is qualified both to be a member of the College and to carry out the particular duties they have been assigned.
Once all hearings are completed, the Conference of Committee Chairs will assess the outcome of the confirmation hearings and forward its conclusions to the Conference of Presidents. The latter will conduct the final evaluation and decide whether to close the hearings.
Election of the Commission in plenary
After the hearings have been concluded, Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen will present the full College of Commissioners and its programme in plenary.
Her statement will be followed by a debate, and any political group or at least one-twentieth of Members of Parliament (low threshold) may table a motion for a resolution.
The full Commission needs the consent of Parliament (by a majority of the votes cast, by roll-call).
Once elected by Parliament, the Commission is formally appointed by the European Council, acting by a qualified majority.
Background
Annex VII of the EP Rules of Procedure specifies Parliament’s role in approving the European Commission and monitoring the commitments made during the hearings.