Brussels, 06/10/2014 (Agence Europe) - A real “right hand” called upon to replace the president of the European Commission when he is “physically or mentally absent”. These are the terms that future European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker used on 10 September to describe the duties of First Vice-President-designate Frans Timmermans from the Netherlands. Timmermans will have his hearing before the conference of presidents of the European Parliament's groups and MEPs on Tuesday 8 October.
Timmermans, age 53 and born in Maastricht, is the Netherlands' outgoing minister for foreign affairs and is experienced in the mysteries of Europe - particularly as he was the assistant to Hans van de Broek, the European commissioner for external relations from 1993-1999. Timmermans initially had hopes of the post of high representative, which was allocated to Federica Mogherini in the end. He was the Netherlands' minister for European Affairs between 2007 and 2010.
If confirmed as Commission first vice-president by the MEPs, the Social-Democrat Timmermans should inherit a heavy portfolio, and will be particularly influential in that he will be given a role of filtering all legislation. Timmermans' mission will consist of scrutinising all initiatives in preparation and gauging their pertinence as regards the Better Regulation principles and those of the Charter of Fundamental Rights. He will also be in charge of interinstitutional relations and the mechanism for the rule of law which is intended to correct abuses in member states. It is Timmermans indeed who, along with three other European foreign affairs ministers in spring 2013, called for the creation of such a rule of law monitoring mechanism. In practice, Timmermans will have to ensure that damage to fundamental values does not become systemic - as Hungary has been criticised for. His other tasks will include ensuring the coherence of legislation and ensuring respect for the principles of proportionality and subsidiarity - which should make the Netherlands an inevitable partner - if not ally - of the United Kingdom at a time when British Prime Minister David Cameron wants to take a new look at the whole relationship between his country and the EU.
In his mission letter, Juncker explains that he expects Timmermans to focus on: - reducing red tape at European and national level, through the REFIT programme; - continuing implementation of the special partnership agreement with the European Parliament; - deciding with the Parliament, within the first three months of his taking up office, on what legislation is possibly to be abandoned should it turn out not to be useful.
Timmermans will also be in charge of dialogue with religious or secular organisations. In addition, his task will be to conclude the EU's accession to the Council of Europe's Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
Timmermans will steer the cooperation and verification mechanisms applied to Bulgaria and Romania. He will also manage all work relating to transparency and will have to prepare a proposal making the lobbyists' register obligatory as regards the European Parliament, the Commission and the Council - a big promise from Juncker. Timmermans will furthermore represent the Commission in the EU General Affairs Council and will coordinate the representation at the EU Justice and Home Affairs Councils. (SP)