Glenn Micallef, candidate for the post of European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, defended his programme at a hearing held on Monday 4 November by the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education (CULT), which was attended by members of the Committees on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL), on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and on Legal Affairs (JURI).
Focusing on “diversity, fairness, solidarity and democracy”, values that he considers to be the pillars of the “European house”, the youngest of the Commissioners-designate set out a roadmap based on youth participation, mental health, support for culture, an inclusive sports model, and action against online harassment and sexism.
The ‘youth check’, a central tool for the inclusion of young people. Advocating the need to give young people a real place in European politics, Glenn Micallef said: “Democracy is a value on which our Union is founded, and our democracy is under threat. We can only protect our democracy with the participation of young people”.
To address this issue, the former right-hand man of the Maltese prime minister spoke of the ‘youth-check’ mechanism, which will make it possible to evaluate policies that have an impact on young people, and set up of an advisory council on youth with the President of the Commission. “We have to make politics with young people, not for young people”, he stressed.
Asked about the practical application of this ‘youth-check’, Mr Micallef said that from 2025 onwards, all proposals in the Commission’s work programme would be subject to a youth impact assessment. Consultations with young people will be systematically organised to ensure that their perspectives are heard in the legislative process.
An action plan against online harassment to protect mental health. The protection of mental health, particularly from the risks associated with the use of digital technologies, is also one of Mr Micallef’s commitments. “One of our greatest challenges in this decade is protecting the mental health of our children and young people, especially online”, he highlighted.
In response to questions from MEPs, he announced a work plan to combat online harassment, in close collaboration with other commissioners, which will include sections on safety, combating hate speech and initiatives to encourage healthy use of screens.
“Hate, intimidation and harassment have no place in our societies”, he stated firmly, recalling the importance of this fight for the well-being of young Europeans.
Asked about specific measures to protect young people from online dangers, the Commissioner-designate detailed that his strategy would be based on four pillars, including creating a common definition of cyberbullying and working with civil society to report and prevent online abuse. He also mentioned a pan-European survey on the effects of social media on well-being.
EU funding for a tangible impact on the ground. Another central part of his programme concerns the use of European funds to bring tangible benefits to EU citizens and regions. “We need to ensure that EU funding has a real impact on the ground and that it is simple enough to enable all beneficiaries to access it”, said Mr Micallef.
When questioned on this point, he called for the processes for accessing funding to be simplified and for objectives to be aligned with local needs, particularly in the culture and social inclusion sectors.
A ‘Culture Compass’ and an AI strategy for a more competitive creative sector. Glenn Micallef also presented the ‘Culture Compass’, a strategic framework aimed at integrating culture into all EU policies and maximising its economic potential. “Culture and heritage are the glue that holds us together as Europe”, he said, referring also to the challenges of preserving heritage in the face of climate change and new technologies.
He foresees an artificial intelligence strategy to support artists and professionals in the creative sector, while ensuring fair remuneration and transparency for digital platforms.
Asked about funding for the creative industries, he pointed to the 65% increase in the budget for the Creative Europe programme, saying that he wanted to use these funds in a strategic and coherent way.
Committed to fighting sexism and promoting inclusive sport. In response to MEPs’ concerns about discrimination in sport, the Commissioner-designate expressed his commitment to combating sexism and gender-based violence.
“We do not compromise on fairness in sport, while remaining a union that promotes inclusion and diversity”, he said.
With this in mind, the Maltese wishes to promote a European sports model based on the values of inclusion, tolerance and equality, in conjunction with sports organisations. He also plans to review recommendations on physical activity to encourage healthy living and combat inactivity and obesity.
In response to a question about the visibility of women in sport, the candidate proposed stepping up communication campaigns to highlight sportswomen, an area he considers crucial for greater fairness in the sports media.
Children’s rights and strengthening EU values. Protecting children’s rights and strengthening European values are also at the heart of Glenn Micallef’s vision. “We have a moral and legal obligation to protect our children”, he said, highlighting the implementation of the strategy for children’s rights and the promotion of a safer Internet.
In response to the concerns expressed by some MEPs about the proliferation of inappropriate content online, he reiterated the importance of working with Member States to strengthen controls and ensure the safety of young people in the digital environment.
At the end of the hearing, the chair of the CULT Committee, Nela Riehl (Greens/EFA, German), spoke to the press about Mr Micallef’s commitments, in particular to the Erasmus+ programme. This is a “very important” point for the members of the parliamentary committee, she insisted.
The German ecologist also expressed her satisfaction with the candidate’s commitment to the integration of young people, their well-being and diversity, themes that recurred regularly during the hearing. “We are very pleased”, she added, underlining the CULT Committee’s support for the approaches presented by Mr Micallef.
Although the coordinators of the parliamentary committee will be meeting shortly to assess the Maltese’s performance, Ms Riehl indicated that no major obstacles had been identified during the hearing. She said that diversity and the inclusion of young people were key values for her members and that she was confident in Glenn Micallef’s ability to deliver them.
See Mr Micallef’s mission letter and his answers to MEPs’ written questions: https://aeur.eu/f/dh4 ; https://aeur.eu/f/dzu (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)