The hearings begin today in the European Parliament in Brussels of the candidates for European Commissioners, BTA reported.
The hearings are expected to last until November 12, and the EP has announced its readiness to vote on the new composition of the European Commission in the days after November 25.
The candidates have already answered written questions of the MEPs from the relevant parliamentary committees and have been checked for a possible conflict of interest. The exams will last for three hours, after which parliamentary committees will prepare assessments. In the absence of the necessary support, MEPs will give the candidate the opportunity to answer additional written questions and take a second exam for an hour and a half. If even then it does not have the necessary support, the EP can take steps to broadcast a new candidate from the relevant EU country.
The first to be heard today will be the candidates for European Commissioners Maros Šefčovič (Slovakia/Socialists and Democrats) - trade and economic security; Glenn Micallef (Malta/Socialists and Democrats) - youth, culture and sport; Christophe Hansen (Luxembourg/European People's Party) - agriculture and food; Apostolos Dzidzikostas (Greece/European People's Party) - transport and tourism.
After the hearings, the newly elected President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will present the list of commissioners and their work program at a plenary session of the EP. The MEPs will vote on the proposed composition, the approval of which requires a majority of the votes cast.
After being elected by the MEPs, the EC is officially appointed by the European Council with a qualified majority. The new European Commission is expected to start work from December 1.