Brussels, 27/04/2016 (Agence Europe) - The joint rapporteur of the committee charged with investigating the Volkswagen scandal (EMIS), Pablo Zalba Bidegain (EPP, Spain), said at a press conference on Wednesday 27 April that it was important to hear all the commissioners as quickly as possible, indicating that he would like the hearing with former industry commissioner and current MEP Antonio Tajani (EPP, Italy) to take place before the summer.
According to a number of MEPs, the EPP Group would like the hearing to be conducted as quickly as possible as Tajani wants to stand on behalf of the group for the presidency of the European Parliament and begin campaigning internally from this autumn. The summer break will provide a break from all interference and give him freedom to devote himself to campaigning, some observers say.
“But, at the end of the day, he will doubtless have to come in September”, another source stated. Most groups said they wanted to hear the different commissioners by college, and then want to invite the former environment commissioner, Janez Potocnik, to the same session with Tajani. However, “it seems to be impossible for Potocnik to attend the session in July”, a source told EUROPE.
The testimony of Tajani, the former commissioner for industry in the Barroso Commission, is much awaited by MEPs, as he is said to have known about fraud in car manufacturing companies during his mandate but not taken any action (see EUROPE 11430).
In addition, MEPs would like to hear the current commissioner for industry, Elzbieta Bienkowska, and the former commissioner for industry, Günther Verheugen. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)