Articles in this set

• Timetable for the hearings of commissioners-designate

  
  

• MEPs to question commissioners-designate

  European Parliament embarks on seven days of hearings.
  

• Ashton gives underwhelming performance

  Parliamentary hearing fails to tease out specific answers from new foreign policy chief.
  

• Parliament ushers Lewandowski into post

  Gentle prodding leaves little doubt about Parliament's approval of Polish commissioner.
  

• Rehn shows safe pair of hands

  The commissioner-designate for economic and monetary affairs achieves what he set out to do.
  

• Piebalgs wins applause

  Latvian commissioner-designate picks his way through a minefield in parliamentary hearing.
  

• De Gucht gives strong performance

  Belgian commissioner-designate emerges unscathed from European Parliament hearings.
  

• Šemeta struggles to convince MEPs

  Lithuania's commissioner-designate conveyed knowledge in his parliamentary hearing, but not conviction or clarity.
  

• Jeleva fails to come clean over business interests

  MEPs unsatisfied by Bulgaria's would-be European commissioner's Parliamentary performance.
  

• Füle wins minds

  Czech nominee puts on strong performance, but brushes communist past aside.
  

• Jeleva remains Barroso's weakest link

  MEPs demand further clarity about Bulgarian nominee's business interests.
  

• Reding impresses for third Commission term

  Luxembourg's nominee flatters MEPs in hearing and says she will ensure the protection of personal data and the right to privacy.
  

• MEPs fail to test Almunia

  Spain's nominee performs well under very little pressure.
  

• Irish nominee sails through her hearing

  Máire Geoghegan-Quinn puts in confident performance in hearing with European Parliament.
  

• Barnier walks the tightrope

  France's choice for internal-market post indicates he will be an active regulator, but also open to business.
  

• Oettinger seeks to allay concerns

  German candidate for the energy portfolio reaches out to Greens and to Russia's neighbours.
  

• Maltese candidate shows his muscle

  John Dalli emphasised decades of ministerial experience in his parliamentary hearing.
  

• Kallas takes the safe route

  Road-test of Europe's would-be transport commissioner reveals him to be a cautious driver.
  

• Kroes off her game

  Dutch candidate for the European Commission's digital portfolio fails to live up to her reputation.
  

• Hahn gets an easy ride

  Austria's nominee for the regional policy portfolio opts for caution and continuity.
  

• Romanian pleases agriculture committee

  Commission candidate did not emerge from hearing as a champion of reform, but he showed a mastery of detail.
  

• Hedegaard wins plaudits

  Danish commissioner-designate shows nous and know-how in parliamentary hearing.
  

• Vassiliou takes a modest line

  Cypriot commissioner-designate opts for honesty in setting out her role in educational and cultural policy.
  

• Šefčovič fends off accusations

  Slovak commissioner emerges safely after tackling head-on accusations of anti-Roma attitudes.
  

• Tajani opts for flattery

  Italian commissioner may have overrun his allotted time, but he offered little of substance in his parliamentary hearing.
  

• Damanaki clears the net

  Greece's commissioner-designate performs strongly in parliamentary hearing.
  

• Malmström strives for balance

  Swedish commissioner begins to clear her own path in bid to balance security and rights.
  

• Potočnik enjoys cosy hearing

  Slovenia's once (and future?) European commissioner commands the podium in parliamentary hearings.
  

• Andor makes careful first showing

  Hungary's choice for European commissioner produces neither excitement nor anxiety.
  

• Georgieva gives solid performance

  Bulgaria's commissioner-designate does much better than her predecessor.
  

Commissioners' nomination hearings