The European Parliament adopted new Rules of Procedure in April that will affect how hearings are conducted for the College of Commissioners. The duration and speaking time of these hearings will be modified, and there will be more ongoing scrutiny throughout the mandate. The exact dates for the upcoming commissioner-designate hearings are still unknown, creating anticipation in Brussels. Previous hearings have not been easy for some candidates, as exemplified by the rejection of Sylvie Goulard in 2019 due to concerns over conflicts of interest. The rules for these hearings are mostly the same, but improvements were made in 2024 to increase MEPs’ powers of scrutiny over the commission.
More committees will now be involved in the hearings of commissioners, with no limits set on the number of committees that can participate. Committees with related responsibilities may also be invited to join in the questioning process. Commissioners will face written questions from MEPs before the hearings, and the total cooking time remains at three hours. The most significant portfolios may receive an extra hour for their hearings. Designated commissioners will give a 15-minute presentation, and question time will be organized in blocks by political groups. Commissioners will have more time to respond to questions, and the number of questions is no longer limited.
The evaluation of designated commissioners must be approved by at least half of the MEPs in the relevant committees, excluding non-attached members. If the majority is not reached, MEPs can request additional information through written questions. If a candidate is rejected, the process starts over. If accepted, the President of the European Commission will present the full team to the Parliament for approval. The new rules also introduce special scrutiny hearings that can be convened throughout the mandate to question commissioners or other high-level EU officials about significant political matters.
In conclusion, the new rules for hearings of the College of Commissioners in the European Parliament have been modified to increase the scrutiny and accountability of designated commissioners. More committees will be involved in the questioning process, and additional time will be allocated for extensive portfolios. Designated commissioners will face written questions before the hearings and will have a set amount of time to present their goals and answer questions. The evaluation process has also been updated to include more opportunities for additional information and scrutiny. Additionally, special scrutiny hearings may be convened throughout the mandate to address significant political issues.
