BRUSSELS

Greece’s Apostolos Tzitzikostas, nominee for European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, prepares to make his opening address during his confirmation hearing at the European Parliament in Brussels on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

Lawmakers grilled the first four would-be members of the next European Commission on Nov. 4, with a personal tale of bereavement bringing unexpected poignancy to the start of hearings to confirm Ursula von der Leyen‘s top team.

The hearings offer a rare opportunity for the EU parliament to flex its muscles against the bloc’s powerful executive, and the outside chance a candidate may stumble has kept Brussels on its toes.

But the process got off to a smooth start, with the first four commissioner-designates, Maros Sefcovic of Slovakia, Malta’s Glenn Micallef, Apostolos Tzitzikostas of Greece and Luxembourg’s Christophe Hansen, comfortably dealing with a three-hour quizzing and being endorsed by members of the EU parliament.

Sefcovic, who is to take over as head of trade and economic security, sailed through his hearing.

He was careful not to give a timetable for the signing of a controversial free trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur countries, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia, which is being contested by France and has aroused the anger of farmers in Europe.

Hansen, who is to take up the agriculture portfolio, became emotional during his hearing as he recounted the recent death of his brother, a farmer, when responding to a question on the mental health pressures faced by farmers.

Citing delays in the payment of subsidies, pressure from banks and the need for large investments, Hansen said his overworked brother had no time to seek professional help as he went through a divorce.

“It is unacceptable. And it’s killing me,” he said.

Tzitzikostas, who is to take charge of transport, vowed to put forward long-delayed plans for a “single booking system” for train travel in 2025.

This week’s hearings run until tomorrow before a grand finale on Nov. 12 when von der Leyen’s six vice-president candidates will be heard.

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