Timeline: Parliament's scrutiny of the commissioners-designate

Follow Parliament's evaluation of the proposed new European Commission with the help of this timeline of the confirmation hearings of the commissioners-designate.

Published: 10-10-2024 Last updated: 27-11-2024 - 16:10 2 min read

With President-elect Ursula von der Leyen having presented her proposal for the European Commission 2024-2029, it's now up to Parliament to evaluate the candidates to see if they are up to the job.

Parliament’s legal affairs committee first examined the candidates’ declarations of interests to exclude any conflict of interests of a financial nature, which was a precondition for the holding of the hearing of a given candidate.

The actual hearings take place from 4 November until 12 November. Each candidate will be assessed by one or more parliamentary committees, depending on the proposed portfolio. Unsuccessful candidates might be withdrawn and replaced by new ones.

After the hearings have finished, Parliament will vote to approve or reject the European Commission as a whole during a plenary session.

Vetting the commissioners-designate

How Parliament will evaluate the suitability of the proposed new European Commission

10-10-2024
MEPs complete check on possible conflicts of interest of Commissioners-designate

Parliament’s legal affairs committee gave its green light for the confirmation hearings for all 26 commissioners-designate to go ahead.
- Check on potential conflicts of interest completed
04-11-2024
Šefčovič (Slovakia): confirmation hearing

Maroš Šefčovič, the proposed commissioner for trade and economic security; interinstitutional relations and transparency, appeared in a hearing organised by the international trade and constitutional affairs committees
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
04-11-2024
Micallef (Malta): confirmation hearing

Glenn Micallef, the proposed commissioner for intergenerational fairness, youth, culture and sport, appeared in a hearing organised by the culture committee
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
04-11-2024
Hansen (Luxembourg): confirmation hearing

Christophe Hansen, the proposed commissioner for agriculture and food, appeared in a hearing organised by the agriculture committee
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
04-11-2024
Tzitzikostas (Greece): confirmation hearing

Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the proposed commissioner for sustainable transport and tourism, appeared in a hearing organised by the transport and tourism committee
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
05-11-2024
McGrath (Ireland): confirmation hearing

Michael McGrath, the proposed commissioner for democracy, justice, and the rule of law, appeared in a hearing organised by the civil liberties, internal market and legal affairs committees
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
05-11-2024
Zaharieva (Bulgaria): confirmation hearing

Ekaterina Zaharieva, the proposed commissioner for startups, research and innovation, appeared in a hearing organised by the industry committee
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
05-11-2024
Šuica (Croatia): confirmation hearing

Dubravka Šuica, the proposed commissioner for Mediterranean, appeared in a hearing organised by the foreign affairs committee
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
05-11-2024
Jørgensen (Denmark): confirmation hearing

Dan Jørgensen, the proposed commissioner for energy and housing, appeared in a hearing organised by the industry and employment committees
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
05-11-2024
Brunner (Austria): confirmation hearing

Magnus Brunner, the proposed commissioner for internal affairs and migration, appeared in a hearing organised by the civil liberties committee
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
05-11-2024
Roswall (Sweden): confirmation hearing

Jessika Roswall, the proposed commissioner for environment, water resilience and a competitive circular economy, appeared in a hearing organised by the environment committee
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
06-11-2024
Lahbib (Belgium): confirmation hearing

Hadja Lahbib, the proposed commissioner for preparedness and crisis management; equality, appeared in a hearing organised by the development, women’s rights, civil liberties and environment committees
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
06-11-2024
Albuquerque (Portugal): confirmation hearing

Maria Luís Albuquerque, the proposed commissioner for financial services and the savings and investments union, appeared in a hearing organised by the economic affairs committee
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
06-11-2024
Kadis (Cyprus): confirmation hearing

Costas Kadis, the proposed commissioner for fisheries and oceans, appeared in a hearing organised by the fisheries committee
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
06-11-2024
Síkela (Czechia): confirmation hearing

Jozef Síkela, the proposed commissioner for international partnerships, appeared in a hearing organised by the development committee
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
06-11-2024
Várhelyi (Hungary): confirmation hearing

Olivér Várhelyi, the proposed commissioner for health and animal welfare, appeared in a hearing organised by the environment and agriculture committees
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
06-11-2024
Kubilius (Lithuania): confirmation hearing

Andrius Kubilius, the proposed Commissioner for Defence and Space, appeared in a hearing organised by the foreign affairs and industry committees
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
07-11-2024
Kos (Slovenia): confirmation hearing

Marta Kos, the proposed commissioner for enlargement, appeared in a hearing organised by the foreign affairs committee
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
07-11-2024
Hoekstra (the Netherlands): confirmation hearing

Wopke Hoekstra, the proposed commissioner for climate, net-zero and clean growth, appeared in a hearing organised by the environment, industry and economic affairs committees
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
07-11-2024
Serafin (Poland): confirmation hearing

Piotr Serafin, the proposed commissioner for budget, anti-fraud and public administration, appeared in a hearing organised by the budgets and budgetary control committees
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
07-11-2024
Dombrovskis (Latvia): confirmation hearing

Valdis Dombrovskis, the proposed commissioner for economy and productivity; implementation and simplification, appeared in a hearing organised by the economic affairs and legal affairs committees
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
12-11-2024
Fitto (Italy): confirmation hearing

Raffaele Fitto, the proposed executive vice-president for cohesion and reforms, appeared in a hearing organised by the regional development committee
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
12-11-2024
Kallas (Estonia): confirmation hearing

Kaja Kallas, the proposed high representative for foreign affairs and security policy and vice-president of the European Commission, appeared in a hearing organised by the foreign affairs committee
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
12-11-2024
Mînzatu (Romania): confirmation hearing

Roxana Mînzatu, the proposed executive vice-president for people, skills and preparedness, appeared in a hearing organised by the employment and culture committees
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
12-11-2024
Séjourné (France): confirmation hearing

Stéphane Séjourné, the proposed executive vice-president for prosperity and industrial strategy, appeared in a hearing organised by the industry, internal market, environment and economic affairs committees
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
12-11-2024
Ribera (Spain): confirmation hearing

Teresa Ribera, the proposed executive vice-president for clean, just and competitive transition, appeared in a hearing organised by the environment, economic affairs and industry committees
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
12-11-2024
Virkkunen (Finland): confirmation hearing

Henna Virkkunen, the proposed executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, appeared in a hearing organised by the industry and internal market committees
- Watch a recording of the hearing Opens in a new window
- Press release summarising the hearing
27-11-2024
Parliament leaders conclude the hearings process

President Roberta Metsola and the leaders of the political groups formally bring the hearings process of commissioners-designate to a close and authorise the publication of all evaluation letters.
- Parliament leaders formally conclude hearings process of commissioners-designate
27-11-2024
Parliament approves new European Commission
- Parliament approves the von der Leyen II Commission

Timeline: Parliament's scrutiny of the commissioners-designate

Vetting the commissioners-designate

MEPs complete check on possible conflicts of interest of Commissioners-designate

Šefčovič (Slovakia): confirmation hearing

Micallef (Malta): confirmation hearing

Hansen (Luxembourg): confirmation hearing

Tzitzikostas (Greece): confirmation hearing

McGrath (Ireland): confirmation hearing

Zaharieva (Bulgaria): confirmation hearing

Šuica (Croatia): confirmation hearing

Jørgensen (Denmark): confirmation hearing

Brunner (Austria): confirmation hearing

Roswall (Sweden): confirmation hearing

Lahbib (Belgium): confirmation hearing

Albuquerque (Portugal): confirmation hearing

Kadis (Cyprus): confirmation hearing

Síkela (Czechia): confirmation hearing

Várhelyi (Hungary): confirmation hearing

Kubilius (Lithuania): confirmation hearing

Kos (Slovenia): confirmation hearing

Hoekstra (the Netherlands): confirmation hearing

Serafin (Poland): confirmation hearing

Dombrovskis (Latvia): confirmation hearing

Fitto (Italy): confirmation hearing

Kallas (Estonia): confirmation hearing

Mînzatu (Romania): confirmation hearing

Séjourné (France): confirmation hearing

Ribera (Spain): confirmation hearing

Virkkunen (Finland): confirmation hearing

Parliament leaders conclude the hearings process

Parliament approves new European Commission

Share this article on:

Parliament in your country

Tools

The President of the European Parliament