European Parliament to decide between starting commissioner hearings in October or November

BRUSSELS — Senior MEPs will decide next week whether to start grilling the 26 nominees to become European commissioners on Oct. 14 or Nov. 4, according to two documents seen by POLITICO that circulated internally in the Parliament on Friday.

The dates of the confirmation hearings matter because they will determine the start date of the next European Commission, to be led by Ursula von der Leyen. The hearings are also an opportunity for MEPs to question prospective commissioners and even vote to have them removed.

According to the first draft timeline, the hearings would take place between Oct. 14 and 18, allowing MEPs to vote on the entire College of Commissioners in Strasbourg on Oct 24., and for the new European Commission to take office on Nov. 1. This is the timetable that von der Leyen has been pushing for.

The second draft timeline suggests holding the hearings between Nov. 4 and 12, with the MEPs’ vote coming in the final week of November, and the Commission taking office on Dec. 1.

On Tuesday, the Conference of Committee Chairs — led by German Social Democrat Bernd Lange — will recommend one of the two options to the Conference of Presidents, which is chaired by Parliament President Roberta Metsola and brings together the political group leaders. The Conference of Presidents will make a final decision on Wednesday.

However, Lange said he only created the October timeline to show how impossible it would be to fit all the necessary steps into the next month.

“This is not a proposal. It’s just a demonstration that this is not really feasible,” he said. Rushing the process would not allow Parliament to “really test the qualifications of the commissioners” for their various portfolios, he added.

“Therefore I think my advice to the COP on Wednesday is to go for the start of 4 November,” he said.

Lange said he was aware that there was pressure from some quarters to speed up the process but argued: “The delay in the process is not our fault. That’s the responsibility of the Commission and some member states.”

“I think it’s very unlikely [that we opt for an October start date] because we need also time for proper democratic procedures,” said senior Green MEP Anna Cavazzini. “We will not just rubberstamp the Commission.”

“It is indeed the most likely scenario,” agreed a senior Parliament official, granted anonymity to speak freely. “It is basically not possible [for the Parliament to do everything that needs to be done] and hold the hearings by end of October.”