How Parliament votes the European Commission into office (infographic) - Main contents

MEPs will assess whether commissioner candidates can deliver on the challenges facing the EU in a series of public hearings. Find out more in our infographic.

Exercising democracy

More than 200,000,000 Europeans voted in the European elections in May, giving a strong mandate to the new European Parliament. The elections were the first step in a process of change in the European institutions that culminates with the EU’s executive body, the European Commission.

On 1 November, a new team of commissioners should take office, but that will only happen if the Parliament gives its approval in a plenary vote. Before taking that decision and giving the Commission the legitimacy it needs, MEPs will meet each commissioner-designate and test their suitability in a series of public hearings.

Find out how it all works in our infographic.

Will commissioners deliver for Europeans?

The aim of the hearings is for MEPs to examine the competences and abilities of commissioners-designate. MEPs will look not only at the personal qualities of the candidates, but also assess whether they have the necessary ideas to move things forward for Europeans in the field for which they have been nominated.

Previous hearings have shown that candidates cannot be certain of getting approval. In 2014, Slovenian Alenka Bratušek failed to convince MEPs and was replaced. Bulgarian candidate Rumiana Jeleva pulled out in 2010 following a difficult hearing in Parliament.

The hearings are expected to start at the end of September.

Follow the process on our hearings page.

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