Stella Kyriakides spared no effort on the evening of 1 October to demonstrate to MEPs that she was up to the challenge of the position of European Commissioner for Health. She has been listening to their priorities, both on the matter of public health and of food safety. However, she suggested that she would not seek confrontation with the Member States.
“We’re not there to punish but to find consensus. That's how I've worked all my life and this is a challenge that I would gladly take up”, she replied to Martin Hojsik (Renew Europe, Slovakia) who asked her to hold Member States accountable rather than hide behind opaque comitology procedures. A sentence that sums up her entire appearance, which took place over 3 hours in front of the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.
After a somewhat restrained start, the Cypriot candidate (EPP) became more relaxed. To the question “Will you be the Commissioner of intervention, creativity or the status quo?”, she replied, “I'd have to be a commissioner at all for starters.” It is up to the political group coordinators on 2 October and then to the Conference of Presidents later to confirm her performance.
Scathing questions on pesticides and GMOs
The hearing got off to a flying start with the intervention of the Chairman of the Environment Committee, Pascal Canfin (Renew Europe, France) who criticised Ms Kyriakides' written replies. “Our feeling is that on the ‘Health’ part, there are concrete commitments. On the other hand, we have questions about the answers to our questions on food security, which are considered much more vague”, he said in the preamble.
Many questions were therefore raised on these subjects. In particular, several MEPs questioned the Cypriot on the setting of a quantified target for pesticide reduction and the associated risks. On several occasions, Ms Kyriakides acknowledged that pesticide legislation is not properly implemented by Member States, welcoming in passing the conclusions of the Special Parliamentary Committee on Pesticides.
However, as with many other topics, she refused to over commit herself, relying on ongoing evaluations. “I am committed to decreasing dependence on pesticides, as well as trying to invest in and encourage low-risk alternatives. This will be part of the ‘Green Deal’ and the ‘farm to fork’ strategy”, she said repeatedly. “There is currently an evaluation being carried out by the European Food Safety Agency through REFIT, and I will take a decision on this basis”, she replied to those who asked her for more concrete commitments.
The Cypriot candidate was also the subject of sharp questions on endocrine disrupters from MEPs who were disappointed by the Juncker Commission's action. “I am one of those who look forward. Endocrine disrupters are part of my remit and, you're right, more needs to be done”, said Ms Kyriakides, suggesting her intention to look at horizontal criteria and the cocktail (combined) effect. But she once again took refuge behind the fitness check currently being carried out by the Commission.
Public health, her comfort zone
Not surprisingly, the Cypriot repeatedly highlighted Ursula von der Leyen's flagship public health initiative, namely a cancer reduction plan. This subject, far from being controversial, given the scale of the problem, was not the subject of many questions. Ms Kyriakides herself has experienced the disease.
However, MEPs asked her about the lack of reference to joint health assessments in her mission letter and written replies. This subject, she immediately replied, was also of considerable importance and she undertook to push it to the EU Council to reach the famous “consensus” (see EUROPE 12338/4).
On the issue of drug shortages, an issue that has been discussed for many years on the European scene without much progress, the Commissioner-designate noted that a working group set up by the Commission and EFSA was currently studying the issue. She identified pricing and reimbursement policies and the role of the industry among the causes of the problem and suggested addressing early detection of malfunctions. However, she was unable to answer the question from Margrete Auken (Greens/EFA, Denmark), who asked her about the abusive prices charged by the pharmaceutical industry. Ms Kyriakides indicated that she was not aware of the resolution which, according to the MEP, was “reduced to a shadow of itself” at the World Health Organization, on the issue of price transparency and promised to look into it.
After the hearing, Stella Kyriakides described the hearing as “very demanding”, but also a great opportunity to share the policies that are important to her. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)