Parliament Question Time For Commissioners
Tuesday 19 January, 2010
On Tuesday morning Timothy presented a question to Commissioner Designate Cecilia MALMSTRÖM for Civil Liberties.
He said:
"Commissioner, the events of the last few weeks has once again thrust EU security, and action against Terrorism, to the top of the political agenda. The Stockholm Programme states that there is a need for a comprehensive and cross-European strategy for the prevention of, and fight against, terrorism, cross-border crimes such as trafficking in human beings, internet abuse, cybercrime and tobacco smuggling, and calls for a more robust fight against corruption, combining efforts and resources at the disposal of Member States, European institutions, specialised EU agencies and information exchange networks.
"Commissioner, I would like to ask how you intend to move forward in the area of Terrorism and organised crime here and with our international friends, as well as to seek your assurance that whilst doing this you will be keeping at the forefront of your mind the importance of proportionality in Europe's response?"
In response, Mrs Malmstrom replied that developping an internal security strategy was one of her top priorities. She said she would review the counter-terrorism tools that the EU had and ensure that those already in place worked better. She called for a comprehensive framework to tackle these things effectively, and talked of the need to cut out inefficiencies and duplication. She said: "We need tools to prevent, protect, pursue and respond to these threats. We also need to focus on victims of terrorism and organised crime." However Timothy was happy that she admitted that much of that work is the responsability of Member States, and she clarified that she was focussed mainly on ensuring existing legislation worked well, rather than proposing further laws.
Wednesday 12 January, 2010
Timothy was actively involved in the Hearing of Commissioner designate for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, Viviane REDING. All the nominees for Barroso’s Commission are facing questions from the European Parliament this week. The Parliament has the power to veto candidates which it feels do not come up to the mark. Because Commissioners are unelected, it is important that the Parliament, the people’s representatives, has its say.
As ECR Group Co-ordinator on the LIBE Committee, Timothy’s question focussed on civil liberties and justice and home affairs. He said he would like to see enhanced cooperation in this field, rather than harmonisation, and asked Mrs Reding for her views on this.
The full transcript of Timothy's question is here.
After the Hearing, Timothy said:
"Obviously she’s a performer. She’s achieved a lot in three terms as a Commissioner, so I would expect her to be someone with experience and an ability to deal with questions. My question was mostly about the issue of cooperation in Europe rather than enforced harmonisation particularly in the areas of civil and criminal law.
"I was certainly reassured about her views about criminal law, where she made it very clear that you cannot harmonise, but on civil law she was not quite so convincing. She talked about the possibility of setting up an ERASMUS (scheme) or judge’s college, where they could come together to discuss matters. I think we’d have to look at the details of that.
"I certainly intend to have further discussions with her in due course, if she’s confirmed, as I am sure she will be."
You can find a video of what Timothy said here.
Baroness Ashton also faced questions from MEPs. She will hold two posts: she was named High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security, but she will also be a Vice President of the Commission. She was quizzed on her foreign affairs experience yesterday.
It was immediately clear that she had prepared thoroughly, and Timothy believes we should give her a chance to prove herself. Having said that, she could not escape questions relating to her views on nuclear disarmament, which she has supported in the past.
Timothy has heard however that one or two other Commission designates are having a very difficult time convincing the relevant Committees of their suitability for their post. There could yet be some enforced changes to the team.
At a plenary session on 26 January, MEPs will decide by majority vote whether or not to approve the new Commission. Once approval is given, EU heads of government will formally appoint the commission. Commissioners hold office for a five-year term, during which they remain accountable to the European Parliament – Parliament can call for the mass resignation of all Commissioners.
