On 13 November from 15:00 to 18:00, Mr Tonio Borg, Commissioner-designate for Health and Consumer Protection, will be heard by the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee, in cooperation with the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection and the Committee on Agriculture. The Council had informed Parliament of its intention to appoint Mr Borg on 25 October 2012, following the resignation of former Commissioner Mr John Dalli.
As provided for by Article 246 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, a vacancy caused by resignation shall be filled for the remainder of the Member’s term of office by a new Member of the same nationality only after consulting the European Parliament.
According to Rule 106 of Parliament's Rules of Procedure, the appropriate committee or committees shall invite the Commissioner-designate to a three-hour hearing organised in such a way as to enable Commissioners-designate to disclose to Parliament all relevant information.
Before the hearing takes place, the Commissioner-designate communicates his curriculum vitae as well as his declaration of interests and replies to written questions submitted by the committees.
After the hearing, committees proceed with an evaluation which is conveyed to the Conference of Committee Chairs and, subsequently, to the Conference of Presidents, which shall declare the hearings closed.
It is then up to the Parliament's plenary to vote on the appointment of the Commissioner by secret ballot.
Source : © European Union, 2012 - EP