Future Commission discussed by EP leaders

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament.

EP leaders had an exchange of views with the President-elect of the Commission on the new College of Commissioners.

At the invitation of European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen today discussed with leaders of the Political Groups of the European Parliament on the structure and portfolios of the proposed new College of Commissioners.

“We are now beginning an intense and necessary period of parliamentary scrutiny of the new College of Commissioners. Members will carefully examine the candidacies of all Commissioners-designate in public hearings. The aim is to complete this vetting process as efficiently as possible. However, the MEPs will not cut corners. Our citizens are counting on us,” said President Roberta Metsola after the meeting.

As part of the wider reform of Parliament’s internal working methods approved in April 2024, the current Rules of Procedures, in force as of July 2024, foresee a strengthened role for the Parliament in the process of establishment of the new College of Commissioners.

Next steps

The presentation of today paves the way for the start of the confirmation hearing process, once Parliament receives all the necessary documentation.

The Committee on Legal Affairs will scrutinise the declarations of interests of the Commissioners-designate. This is an essential precondition for the holding of the confirmation hearings.

Each Commissioner-designate’s responses to the written questions submitted by the Parliament will be published on Parliament’s website in advance of the confirmation hearing.

The Conference of Presidents will organise the confirmation hearings based on a recommendation of the Conference of Committee Chairs. Each Commissioner-designate will be invited to appear before the appropriate committee or committees for a single confirmation hearing, lasting three hours. However, in the case of particularly large or complex portfolios involving more than one committee, the confirmation hearing may last for up to four hours. The confirmation hearings will be livestreamed.

Parliament will evaluate Commissioners-designate based on their general competence, European commitment and personal independence, as well as assess their knowledge of their prospective portfolio and their communication skills.

The committee coordinators will evaluate the individual Commissioners-designate after the confirmation hearing and prepare a single evaluation letter for each Commissioner-designate. To be approved, coordinators representing a majority of at least 2/3 of the committee members belonging to a political group, should approve the Commissioner-designate. If this majority cannot be reached, more information can be requested by additional written questions, or by a resumed confirmation hearing, lasting for 1,5 hours.

The evaluation letters are conveyed to the Conference of Presidents, which can then declare the confirmation hearings closed and authorise the publication of all letters of evaluation.

Following successful confirmation hearings, the President-elect will present the College of Commissioners and their programme at Parliament’s plenary, followed by a debate, and a vote to elect or reject the Commission as a whole, by a majority of the votes cast (by roll call).

Background

Rule 129 of the EP Rules of Procedure stipulates the process of election of the Commission.

Annex VII of the EP Rules of Procedure specifies Parliament’s role in approving the European Commission and monitoring the commitments made during the confirmation hearings.