Brussels, 25/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament has decided that the hearings of the Commissioners designated from the ten accession countries by the Conference of Committee Chairmen of the EP will take place on 13, 14 and 15 April, in the following order:
Tuesday 13 April: The Latvian Sandra Kalniete (who will be attached to Commissioner Franz Fischler during the transition phase between May and November) from 14.00 to 15.20; the Hungarian Peter Balazs (attached to Commissioner Michel Barnier) from 15.30 to 16.50; the Maltese Joe Borg (attached to Commissioner Poul Nielson) from 17 to 18.20.
Wednesday 4 April: The Slovenian Janez Potocnik (attached to Commissioner Günter Verheugen) from 8 to 9.20; the Czech Pavel Telicka (attached to David Byrne) from 9.30 to 10.50; the Lithuanian Daila Grybrauskaite (attached to Viviane Reding) from 11 to 12.20; the Pole Danuta Hübner (attached to Pascal Lamy) for 14 to 15.30; the Slovakian Jan Figel (attached to Erkki Liikanen) from 15.30 to 16.50; the Cypriot Markos Kyprianou (attached to Michaele Schreyer) from 17 to 18.20.
Thursday 15 April: The Estonian Siim Kallas (attached to Pedro Solbes) from 9 to 10.20.
EUROPE points out that the "on the job" integration of the ten new Commissioners into the current Commission follows a specific procedure with regard to EP hearings. The Conference of the Presidents of the European Parliament (made up of President Pat Cox and the various Presidents of the political groups) has entrusted the organisation of the new Commissioner's hearings to the Conference of Committee Chairmen, which is made up of the chairmen of all the permanent and temporary parliamentary committees. Exceptionally, the meetings will be "open to all MEPs".
The EP plenary of 5 May will then vote on the formal extension of the Commission from 25 to 30 members. Even if the 162 observers to the EP of the ten accession countries become MEPs in their own right on 1 May, they will already be able to play a full role in the hearings of the new Commissioners. As for traditional hearings for the renewing of the Commission, the oral hearings at the EP are preceded by a written procedure. The Conference of Committee Chairmen sent two questionnaires to each Commissioner designate, who must respond no later than Wednesday 24 March. The questionnaires are available on Internet (http://www.europarl.eu.int/hearings/commission/2004_enlar/default_en.htm ), and the responses will be added as soon as possible.