The vetting of the Commissioners

“The European Service of External Action will be my first priority. It’s not a mere bureaucratic exercise, but an unprecedented opportunity to realize a tool that encompasses all our efforts – political, economic, military – for a coherent strategy” on the international scene. Catherine Ashton, High Representative for EU Foreign Policy, was perhaps the candidate most eagerly awaited to appear before the European Parliament. Like the other Commissioners designate, she had to undergo her own audition before the competent parliamentary committee. The vetting of the 26 Commissioners will continue until 19 January, while the final vote in the EP is fixed for 26 January.Public debate on the EU agenda. The auditions of the political personalities designated by their respective governments to form part of the EU Executive for the period 2010-2014 (its President José Manuel Barroso has already received the favourable vote of the EP) are an important phase in the life of the European institutions. They represent a moment of public debate on the major issues of interest to member states; permit a direct exchange between MEPs and future Commissioners; and highlight the major concerns present in the Union, of which the mouthpiece are MEPs themselves. The auditions also confirm the decisive role that the EP plays in the formation of the college of Commissioners and, it needs to be stressed, nothing should be taken for granted: an exchange during the audition that fails to convince the parliamentary committee could lead to a negative vote in the chamber. “Decisive democratic transition”. The auditions started on 11 January and are being held at the rate of 3 or 4 per day, though with high points of 6: the final vote of approval on the Commissioners in the chamber is fixed during an extraordinary session of the EP on 26 January. The president of the EU Parliament, Jerzy Buzek, has spoken of a “great democratic moment” and of the “impartiality” that will be observed by MEPs in assessing the candidates designated by the member states to assume the various portfolios of which the Commission is composed. “Europe has a need of the best elements to steer the common ship through stormy waters and to give to citizens what they expect”. The first individual auditions included that of Catherine Ashton herself, who has been nominated for the post of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, a post that is coupled under EU law (as established by the Lisbon Treaty) with that of Vice-President of the European Commission. The second audition concerned Janusz Lewandowski, to whom the President of the Commission José Manuel Barroso would like to assign the portfolio for budgetary and financial planning; then followed Olli Rehn, candidate for economic and monetary affairs (under careful scrutiny given the crucial role of the portfolio) and Andris Piebalgs, candidate for the portfolio of development. They were followed in turn by all the other Commissioners.Everything live with internet. The European Parliament has equipped itself with the necessary internet links to permit all European citizens to follow the auditions. A special website has been created to this end: www.europarl.europa.eu/hearings, in 22 languages, where the programme of the auditions (with the CVs of the candidates) can be found, and where it is possible to follow the auditions in direct streaming. The website also contains the written replies furnished by the candidates to the questions posed to them by MEPs in December, as provided by the procedure, it too explained in detail. The website also makes available recordings of the auditions, accompanied by relevant communiqués, the interventions of all the Commissioners and the minutes of each audition. At the end of each day the Europarl web TV provides a summary of the various auditions held. On-line discussion forums with citizens are also available. The website in question explains that “the Parliament evaluates the Commissioners designate on the basis of their general competence, their European commitment and the guarantees of personal independence they offer”. It also evaluates their “knowledge of the potential portfolio and their communication skills”. After the crisis, need to secure employment and sound public finances. During his audition, Olli Rehn, who is poised to assume leadership of the delicate economic and monetary sector, insisted on the need for a “European exit strategy from the crisis”, aimed at “sound public finances” in all member states, so as to “ensure a lasting basis for the recovery of production and trade” in the EU. In his three hours of debate with MEPs, Rehn was bombarded with questions, focused on “EU strategy 2020” for competitiveness and employment, possible enlargements of the euro zone, the financial situation of some member states, and the role of Europe in the promotion of a better balanced world economic and financial order.