european parliment
European Parliament Holds Hearings for Commissioners-Designate
The European Parliament recently conducted hearings for 20 European Commissioners-designate, providing MEPs the chance to evaluate the capability of the future members of the College of Commissioners in managing their assigned portfolios. However, the Parliament did not approve Hungary’s European Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi, an associate of Viktor Orban, who will undergo further scrutiny.
Confirmation Hearings
Most of the commissioners did not face significant challenges during their confirmation hearings. However, Hungarian Commissioner-designate Oliver Varhelyi, responsible for the health and animal welfare portfolio, failed to gain the approval of MEPs and is set to answer additional questions in writing.
During the confirmation hearing, Varhelyi responded to queries from members of the European Parliament’s Environment (ENVI) and Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) committees. Representatives from the Subcommittee on Public Health (SANT) and the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) also attended the hearing.
Abortion Rights and Reproductive Health
Varhelyi’s hearing, which lasted more than three hours, was primarily characterized by questions from center and left-wing MEPs on abortion rights and reproductive health. Varhelyi assured that he defended women’s rights, but repeatedly emphasized that abortion was not a “competence of the European Union” but a matter for member states.
In Hungary, voluntary termination of pregnancy has been legal since the 1950s until the 20th week of pregnancy in most cases. However, since ultra-conservative Prime Minister Viktor Orban assumed power in 2010, measures to restrict abortion have increased.
Additional Questions and Further Hearings
Due to the failure to reach a two-thirds majority of committee members to validate or reject Varhelyi, additional information will be requested through written questions, or a new hearing may be scheduled. The Commissioner-designate for animal health and welfare has 24 hours to reply after receiving the questions.
Upcoming Schedule
The hearings of the Commissioners-designate will conclude on November 12. The six executive vice-presidents of the future Commission, including Romanian Roxana Mînzatu, who will handle the ‘People, skills, and training’ portfolio, will also need to answer questions. After the hearings, the Conference of Committee Chairs will evaluate the results and forward their conclusions to the Conference of Presidents.
The Conference of Presidents will review the evaluation letters received from the competent committees and the recommendations of the Conference of Committee Chairs. They will then make a final assessment and declare the hearings closed on November 21. The evaluation letters will be published once all hearings are declared closed.
