An important moment at the beginning of the new legislative period of the European Parliament is the hearing of the Commissioners-designate. After the elections to the European Parliament, each member state nominated a candidate for the cabinet of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. All candidates then have to answer questions from the Members of the European Parliament in a round of hearings. The members of the relevant committees then decide on the suitability of the Commissioner-designate.
In the first step, the candidates answered written questions. The hearings before the various committees occurred between November 4 and 12, 2024. As the Greens’ agriculture spokesperson in the European Parliament and a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I questioned the candidates on topics such as sustainable agriculture, animal welfare, the rule of law, and EU enlargement policy. This is my assessment:
Christophe Hansen: Commissioner for Agriculture with green potential
With my colleagues from the Green Group in the European Parliament, I have been fighting for years for the transformation of European agriculture towards sustainable, fair, solidarity-based farming that focuses on the farming community, animal welfare, the preservation of our environment, and healthy food for all.
The coming legislative period, in which I will defend our green values in agricultural policy as the AGRI-coordinator for the Green Group in the European Parliament, will be decisive, as it will set the course for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) from 2027. This will decide on the course of the European agriculture for the next decade. Will we continue to push the biggest parts of EU funding for agriculture into industrialization and factory farming in rder to produce cheap food for the global market or will we achieve a turnaround towards small-scale, local, and sustainable food production? Accordingly, our questions to Commissioner Hansen focused on the necessary restructuring of the CAP and European agriculture in general.
Mr. Hansen stated that he would give priority to smaller farmers in the CAP and expressed his strong support for organic farming. His focus on farmers’ rights within the value chain is also important. Although some of his answers could have been more specific, my colleagues and I felt that there was room for progress in important areas. That is why we voted to confirm Christophe Hansen as Commissioner for Agriculture.
Marta Kos: Commissioner for EU enlargement with a focus on the rule of law
The hearing was well prepared, Marta Kos knows what she is talking about. She is in favor of a value-based enlargement process based on the rule of law. Each country should be judged individually for its own progress and, conversely, be held responsible for any setbacks, particularly in the area of the rule of law and democracy. This conditionality is important for a credible enlargement process, which Marta Kos wants to promote.
This mandate still aims to allow one or two countries to join the EU. In this I support Marta Kos as Commissioner for EU Enlargement. She is committed to media and individual freedoms and rejects any talk of land swaps between countries, a highly dangerous idea that is repeatedly floated by authoritarian circles. I find it particularly positive that she understands the importance of civil society and is committed to giving it visibility and a voice instead of “just being pictured on front pages with politicians”
Olivér Várhelyi: Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare under the influence of Orban and agribusiness
The Hungarian Commission candidate Olivér Várhelyi is to be sworn in for a second term as Commissioner. After his dubious record as EU Enlargement Commissioner in his last mandate, he is now to take over the Health and Animal Welfare portfolios, although he clearly has neither competence nor ambition in either.
The Green Group in the European Parliament has been fighting for better EU-wide animal welfare legislation for many years. For example, a committee of inquiry into animal transport was set up in the last legislative period on the initiative of the Greens. Now, however, the aim is to bring about concrete improvements. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced many important initiatives in the area of animal welfare in the last legislative period: the end of cage farming, EU-wide animal welfare labeling for food and the revision of EU regulations on slaughter and animal transport. Only the revision of the animal transport regulation has been presented, although negotiations in the EU parliament could not yet start due to reistance by EPP. In the next legislative period, we need an Animal Welfare Commissioner who will take this role seriously and implement the improvements promised to and demanded by citizens.
During the hearing of candidate Olivér Várhelyi, it became clear that he is not this person. Despite being asked several times, he would not or could not name any concrete goals in the area of animal welfare for the next 5 years and made it clear that his priority is the competitiveness of factory farming. He even went so far as to suggest that EU animal welfare standards should be adapted to our trading partners, i.e. de facto lowered.
In his role as Commissioner-designate for Health, Olivér Várhelyi also stated that abortion is not a medical issue for him and, despite repeated requests, would not comment on difficulties in accessing healthcare for members of the LGBTIQ+ community in parts of the EU – not least his own country of origin. My colleagues and I therefore refused to give Olivér Várhelyi our consent.
Wopke Hoekstra: Climate Commissioner with experience
The climate crisis is here and we must act. One day after the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States of America, the hearing of Commissioner-designate for the Environment Wopke Hoekstra took place. In light of this worrying development, the EU must step up it’s fight for a sustainable future and take the lead in the green transition. The Environment Commissioner has a central role to play in this, as he will represent the EU at the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference COP29.
Wopke Hoekstra already held the role of Environment Commissioner in the last legislative period. Despite justified criticism of sometimes overly hesitant policies, my colleagues and I were able to convince ourselves that Wopke Hoekstra takes his role as Environment Commissioner seriously. In his hearing before the EU Environment Committee, he made clear commitments to the electrification of company fleets by 2030, which will benefit the climate and create jobs. He also spoke out clearly in favor of combating tax evasion and higher prices for airline tickets based on the polluter pays principle. A key focus of his work in the coming years must be to drive forward an ambitious phase-out of fossil fuel spending in EU and national budgets, in line with international commitments by 2025. We support his nomination and will closely follow his work.
Magnus Brunner: Commissioner for Migration without respect for human rights
The Austrian Commissioner candidate Magnus Brunner from the ÖVP has been proposed as Commissioner for Migration. Although Magnus Brunner repeatedly emphasizes that human rights and fundamental rights are non-negotiable, he contradicts himself by advocating faster deportations, so called “repatriation hubs” and more intensive cooperation with third countries. This means, for example, EU money for the services of authoritarian regimes, such as the Libyan coast guard, which have been proven to systematically violate human rights. A ray of hope: Magnus Brunner has recognized that the ÖVP is on the wrong track with the Schengen blockade for Romania and Bulgaria. The Green Group did not support Magnus Brunner.
Jessika Roswall: Commissioner for the Environment and Circular Economy with a commitment to the Green Deal
The devastating floods and deadly forest fires of recent months show us once again how important the preservation of our environment in Europe and worldwide is for climate adaptation. The implementation of the Nature Restoration Act is one of the most important framework projects in this area. We also need to be more careful with our resources. Reducing consumption and recycling resources must be a priority.
In her hearing as Commissioner-designate for the Environment and Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall made important commitments: there will be no rollback of the Green Deal, a clear commitment to implement the Nature Restoration Act and the Deforestation Regulation, and further steps towards a circular economy. Ms. Roswall has shown willingness to develop a governance framework to achieve resource use targets and zero pollution in the context of the circular economy. I therefore supported the confirmation of Jessika Roswall as Commissioner for Environment and Circular Economy.