Brussels, 16/11/2012 (Agence Europe) - The heads of the European Parliament's Environment, Agriculture and Internal Market Committees, which have held hearings of Malta's Tonio Borg, a candidate to become the new European Health Commissioner, made a broadly positive report on his application in the light of criteria such as competence, commitment to Europe, independence, knowledge of the subject matter and cooperation with the European Parliament, as they explained in a letter on Thursday 15 November to the president of the Parliament (see EUROPE 10730). The letter from the conference of presidents of Parliament committees points out, however, that some committee heads had expressed concerns about questions not directly linked with the Commissioner-designate's portfolio. Borg, the current Maltese foreign minister, has views on abortion, divorce and homosexuality that some of the committee heads are concerned about.
The chair of the Environment Committee, Matthias Groote (S&D, Germany), said that on his committee, the coordinators of two political groups, representing a majority, back Borg's application, but the coordinators of three other groups oppose it.
Everything depends on S&D's attitude. At a secret vote in plenary on Wednesday 21 November, the EPP and CRE will approve of Borg's nomination, while the ADLE, Greens/EFA and GUE/NGL will reject it. Everything therefore depends on the S&D party, which will try to decide on Tuesday which way to vote the next day.
Groote explains: “For Mr Borg to be endorsed by a majority of the House, it is vital that the Commissioner Designate deliver in respect to the following issues and concerns, and re-affirm publicly, prior to the final vote in Parliament, his unambiguous and full commitment to: the delivery of the legislative proposal on tobacco products by January 2013; the adoption of legislative proposals on animal cloning and novel food by mid-2013; the full respect of the March 2013 deadline for the ban on animal testing for cosmetics; better enforcement of EU law, in particular on animal transport; fully respect and abide by the EU Charter of fundamental human rights, in particular Article 21 thereof, as well as EU anti-discrimination legislation and case-law; recognising the innate dignity of all citizens of the EU, regardless of their sexual orientation or distinctions mentioned in Article 21 (...) and to treating all citizens of the EU fairly and equally; actively supporting EU policies with regard to women's rights.'
Dalli affair. Michael Theurer (ADLE, Germany), who chairs the European Parliament's budgetary control committee, said the rejection of the Parliament's request to see the OLAF investigation that led to John Dalli's resignation was unacceptable. Theurer explained in a press release that it was the Parliament's duty to keep an eye on the Commission and in such circumstances proper democratic control is simply not possible. He said the rules have to change so that any case of this type is immediately sent to the presidents of the Commission and European Parliament at the same time as to the judicial authorities. (MB/transl.fl)