Parliament rejects Goulard - politics of trust must be at heart of new Commission

New Commission

Today, following the second joint-hearing of the Commissioner-designate Sylvie Goulard in the European Parliament, MEPs have not endorsed her candidacy for the Commission. The Greens/EFA group voted against.

Greens/EFA reaction to Sylvie Goulard

New Commission

After having analysed the written answers of Sylvie Goulard, the Greens/EFA group pushed for a second hearing before the final assessment.

Right intentions and promising words are not enough

Hearing with Frans Timmermans

On the hearing of Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice President-designate for a “European Green Deal”, Bas Eickhout, Coordinator of the Greens/EFA in the Committee on Environment, comments:

Hearing of Valdis Dombrovskis

Executive Vice President-designate for „An Economy that Works for People“

Valdis Dombrovskis opened the way for greening the economy. On green financing, Valdis Dombrovskis took a step forward, announcing a new action plan on sustainable finances and promising to work on transparency and disclosure. However, he was particularly unclear in his answers on social policies.

Greens/EFA group proposes upper limit for supplementary income of MEPs

Following Sylvie Goulard hearings

MEPs from the conservative EPP and the socialist S&D parliamentary groups were unusually vocal in their criticism of extra income earned by MEPs during the Hearing with the French Commissioner candidate Sylvie Goulard.

Hearing with the Commissioner designate for the internal market, Sylvie Goulard

Greens/EFA reactions

After the joint ITRE-IMCO hearing with the Commissioner designate for the internal market, Sylvie Goulard, the Greens/EFA group decided to not support her after this hearing, but to ask further questions to the Commissioner designate as she was not clear in her answers

Greens/EFA group asks Ursula von der Leyen to find new candidates for two Commissioner posts

New Commission

The Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) has taken the decision on the conflicts of interests of the Commissioners designate. As it has been leaked to the media, the JURI Committee, did not clear the Romanian candidate Plumb and the Hungarian candidate Trócsányi of conflicts of interest, blocking them from moving on to the next stage of hearings to become European Commissioners.

Greens/EFA group demand potential conflicts of interest investigated fully

New Commission

On Wednesday and Thursday, the Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament will review the cases of 10 Commissioner designates who have been asked to provide additional information in order for the committee to assess any potential conflict of interest issues.

“Politics as Usual” does not suffice: We need an ethical Commission we can trust

Ethics and Integrity

Ursula Von der Leyen, the new Commission President, is working to put together a new Commission, but many of the candidates to become European Commissioners have been the subject of political scandals, investigations for corruption or questionings about potential conflicts of interest. But the European Parliament now has the power to prevent conflicts of interest - will it deliver?

Von der Leyen must change title of Commissioner for "Protecting our European way of life"

European Commission

Yesterday, a majority of Committee Chairs, led by Greens/EFA MEP Karima Delli, voted to demand that European Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen change the controversial name for the proposed Commission portfolio that includes migration.

Greens/EFA not convinced on von der Leyen proposal

European Commission

The next European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, unveiled the proposed candidates for Commissioners and their portfolios. The nominees will face hearings in the European Parliament in the coming weeks.

European Commission’s New Proposals on Rule of Law Fall Short Once Again

The European Commission - and its new President, Ursula Von der Leyen - has promised that “there can be no compromise” when it comes to upholding the rule of law across the European Union. Yet despite the urgency of the situation, both Von der Leyen’s promises and the concrete proposals presented today by the European Commission remain deeply insufficient.