On the morning of Tuesday 13 September, the European Parliament's committee on civil liberties (LIBE) approved the appointment of the Briton Sir Julian King to the post of European Commissioner for the Security Union (EUROPE 11622) and sent a recommendation to this effect to the conference of the presidents of the groups of the European Parliament, which will take position on Wednesday 14.
The members of the LIBE committee were "satisfied" with the answers given by the British candidate during the three-hour hearing in Strasbourg on the evening of Monday 12 September and that the candidate has the aptitude and determination necessary to carry out the role, explained Claude Moraes (S&D, UK), the chair of LIBE, at the press conference that followed the meeting of the coordinators.
The LIBE MEPs were also impressed that King promised to defend the European general interest and to stand as guardian of the treaties, Moraes went on. At the meeting of the coordinators, the aim was largely to call for additional clarifications on the Security Union portfolio entrusted to King and discussions were held on the fact that he comes from a country which will leave the European Union at some point. However, these issues did not feature in the letter sent to the conference of the presidents.
This letter is used strictly to assess the skills of the candidate for the post. If the conference of the presidents takes the view that the assessment procedure need go no further, the Parliament as a whole will vote on the commissioner's investiture on Thursday 15 September. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)