The first hearings of the designated EU Commissioners are taking place in the European Parliament today. Almost every day until November 12th, several candidates for the new EU Commission will be “grilled” in three-hour hearings in the specialist committees and their qualifications and plans will be closely examined. A 2/3 majority must then support the candidates. The members of the SPÖ European delegation will also examine the designated commissioners. ****
SPÖ delegation leader Andreas Schieder will question the nominated Commissioner for Trade, Economic Security, Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency, Maroš Šefčovič, about the future of EU trade agreements: “Binding, enforceable social and ecological minimum standards must be anchored in all future trade agreements, as in EU trade agreement with New Zealand. In addition, future trade agreements must uphold social and labor law standards in the EU, but at the same time must not lead to wage and social dumping in third countries. Our experiences with Maroš Šefčovič in interinstitutional cooperation have always been good. Now it will also be up to him to implement increased transparency and ethics rules for all EU institutions, including the EU Commission.”
Regarding Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Schieder, who is a member of the Transport Committee, says: “Today Tzitzikostas will have to demonstrate what expertise and plans he brings to the table for rail transport in the EU. The expansion and financing of the European rail network must become the new Commissioner’s priority. This is not just about express train connections, but above all about regional transport, modern networks and uniform standards and rules. He should also commit to finally ending the unequal tax treatment of planes and trains.”
The SPÖ-EU environmental spokesman Günther Sidl also emphasizes the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector: “For some time now, it has been necessary to improve the framework conditions for sustainable transport policy in order to better support the goals of the Green Deal for 2030. Just because the keyword ‘Green Deal’ no longer appears in the new Commission’s portfolio distribution, we will not ignore the demands for an ecological transformation.”
Günther Sidl also calls on the designated Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Christophe Hansen, to make a clear commitment to environmental and climate goals: “The just transition for agriculture is crucial to ensuring food security in the EU. There is an urgent need to green the Common Agricultural Policy, including more incentives for ecosystem services. There is an urgent need to develop a European research strategy for ecological pesticide alternatives. We also strictly reject the Mercosur agreement in its current form, and I would like to see clear commitments from Hansen here too.”
According to SPÖ MEP Hannes Heide, the designated Commissioner for Intergenerational Justice, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef, has a big task: “We will push for the EU framework plan for the social and professional situation of artists and employees in the cultural and creative sector must create common standards for working conditions in the sector and promote the integration, including of young, cultural workers into the labor market. In addition, Micallef must work to fully implement the youth strategy, especially with regard to Erasmus+. Whether at a university or an apprenticeship, everyone should have the opportunity to gain experience abroad during their training. But the European sports model must also be protected to prevent it from being replaced by purely commercial systems.” (Conclusion) ls