Message: Jessika Roswall is approved as EU Commissioner

Brussels – After a shaky committee hearing last Tuesday evening, Sweden’s Jessika Roswall had to wait for a decision from the EU Parliament. But now she has been approved, at a meeting between the leaders of the various party groups in the Parliament’s Environment Committee.

Roswall is grateful and happy about the news but also ready to get started with the work: “We have big issues to tackle, and I look forward to our joint work within environment, water resilience, and a competitive circular economy,” she writes in an email to TT.

So far, all proposed commissioners have been approved immediately – but not Roswall. In Roswall’s case, there was sharp criticism against what was considered to be overly vague and incomplete answers.

The EU Commission consists of one member from each member country. All have been nominated by their member countries, although it is the President Ursula von der Leyen who has decided what different assignments they will receive.

This week and next Tuesday, the nominees face three-hour hearings by various committees in the EU Parliament. To be approved initially requires support from two-thirds of the members.

When all committees have agreed, a final formal vote is held in the entire EU Parliament before the new Commission can take office, at the earliest from December 1st.

(November 6)