What plans does the new environment commissioner have – there will be a hearing

On September 17, 2024, we learned about the proposal submitted to the European Parliament for the new composition of the European Commission, including the candidate for the post of Commissioner for the Environment, Water Scarcity Resilience and a Competitive Closed Economy – Jessike Roswall of Sweden.

However, before the composition of the new commissioners is officially appointed, they will hold hearings in the European Parliament. Hearing of a candidate for commissioner for the Labor Party. environments is scheduled for November 5, 2024, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. So what are the plans and priorities of the new environmental commissioner we will find out soon.

What questions were asked prior to the questioning of the new Commissioner for the Environment. environments

Questions submitted in writing to the candidate for the new Environmental Commissioner raised issues in the following areas:

• General competence, European commitment and personal independence,
• Management, portfolio and cooperation with the European Parliament.

The answers to these questions can be found on the website of the candidate for the new Environmental Commissioner – Jessica Roswall of Sweden.

General competence, European commitment and personal independence

In the area of general competence, the following questions were asked:

• What personal qualifications and experience are particularly relevant to becoming an environmental commissioner and promoting the general European interest, especially in the area for which she will be responsible?
• How will it contribute to the implementation of the European Commission’s policy guidelines?
• How will it implement and integrate gender issues into all policies in its area of responsibility?
• How will it implement youth issues?
• Will she guarantee her independence and how will her actions – past, current or future actions she has taken, is taking and intends to take – not affect the performance of her duties at the European Commission?

Questions asked by the Committees on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

• What concrete steps does it intend to take in the context of Europe’s “water scarcity resilience” strategy, so as to address water efficiency, scarcity, pollution and water-related risks?
• How does he plan to take into account the peculiarities of individual member states, including in terms of agriculture, in solving the problem of the relationship between water and healthy ecosystems, also taking into account available technologies?
• What actions does it intend to take to achieve and maintain high water quality standards, enforcing the existing legal framework?
• What specific measures does it intend to take under the circular economy legislation to create market demand for recyclables and establish a single market for waste? What is the expected impact of these measures on the EU’s environmental footprint, resource use and competitiveness?
• What specific sectoral actions – on critical raw materials and textiles, for example – does he intend to take, including in the context of imports from third countries?
• How does it intend to implement the Zero Pollution Action Plan so that all sectors are properly covered where needed, and does it anticipate using additional measures?
• When is a proposal to revise REACH scheduled to be presented that will provide simplification while ensuring better health and environmental protection and a competitive industry?
• What is the plan for PFAS – so as to minimize danger to people and the environment while providing a clear and workable framework for the industry?
• Is it committed to full and timely implementation and enforcement of existing nature legislation, and to meeting the EU’s international obligations?
• How does it intend to ensure an adequate level of funding to implement policies, including the reserved Nature Restoration Fund?
• How will it prepare the assumptions for nature credits?
• How – in a way that is sustainable and consistent with the goals set out in the European Green Deal – will the updated Bioeconomy Strategy unlock the potential of the European bioeconomy? What concrete steps does it intend to take to implement a science-based strategy that will significantly contribute to the EU’s economic competitiveness while respecting environmental and natural resources?

Questions asked by the Committees on Agriculture and Rural Development

• How does he plan to strengthen agriculture’s resilience to water scarcity so that agricultural production can be increased?
• Agriculture and forestry are the EU’s largest soil-using sectors, which at the same time contribute significantly to the EU’s climate and biodiversity goals. Therefore, the question arises, how does the Commissioner intend to balance biodiversity protection and conservation efforts on the one hand, and maintain agricultural production and ensure food security and sustainable use of biomass on the other?
• What is his vision for food and agriculture?
• How will it ensure that the agriculture and forestry sectors are integrated into the bioeconomy strategy?

Questions asked by the Committees on Industry, Research and Energy

• What actions will be proposed as part of the “water deficit resilience” strategy for the energy, industrial and digital sectors?
• How does it plan to contribute to the implementation of the Green Deal Industrial Plan?
• What actions does he anticipate taking under the closed-circuit economy legislation, especially with regard to critical raw materials?
• How does it plan to achieve the ambition of zero pollution and what measures should be included in the new package for the chemical industry?
• What are the plans for PFAS?
• How does he intend to further develop the New European Bauhaus?

Questions asked by the Commissions for the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

• What is its vision and what specific actions does it plan to take, including legislative measures, to achieve its goals of establishing a single market for waste and increasing efforts to develop a single market for sustainable products?

More information about the new commissioners, including their portfolios, and the political leadership of the European Commission can be found on the European Commission website.

How commissioners are elected

The Council of the European Union, in consultation with the newly elected President of the European Commission, adopts a list of candidates for commissioners presented by the countries of the European Union. The candidates then present themselves before the relevant committees of the European Parliament in line with the topics included in the candidate’s portfolio. The members of the parliamentary committees then decide, by voting, whether the commissioner candidates are suitable for the position. They forward their assessment to the President of the European Parliament.

Subsequently, the European Parliament votes to support the entire composition of the European Commission, i.e. the President, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the rest of its members. If the result of the vote is positive, the European Council appoints the president of the European Commission and the commissioners.

Each commissioner is responsible for a specific area, analogous to ministers in the government. Each of the 27 commissioners has an equal voice in decision-making, although they do not have individual decision-making powers (unless specifically authorized to do so).

The Commission President sets the Commission’s political direction, works with the Commissioners to set strategic goals and develop the annual work program. Vice-Presidents act on behalf of the President and coordinate the Commission’s work. They set priorities to ensure that Commissioners work closely and flexibly together. Commission members cannot be bound by any instructions coming from their countries of origin – they are politicians who are designated by the European Council (deciding by qualified majority) and approved by the European Parliament. The final stage of the full Commission is appointment by the European Council.

The new commission is expected to begin work in early December 2024.