Did you know how the College of Commissioners is chosen?
As the European Union gears up for a new term, the process of selecting the College of Commissioners is in full swing. Member States have until the end of August to submit their candidates for the next European Commission, led by President Ursula von der Leyen.
Von der Leyen will begin interviewing the candidates mid-August, after which she will start assembling her team. One of her priorities is to achieve a gender-balanced Commission, a milestone first reached in 2019. To ensure this, she has requested that each Member State put forward both a male and a female candidate.
But the process doesn’t end with von der Leyen. Once she finalizes her team, the European Parliament takes over, interviewing the new Commissioners in a series of rigorous hearings, scheduled for late September and October. These hearings are not just a formality; the Parliament has the power to reject any candidate it finds unsuitable. In 2019, for instance, the initial nominees from France, Romania, and Hungary were rejected, requiring those countries to submit new candidates.
FEAD is eagerly awaiting the continuation of this process and looks forward to collaborating with the new mandate of Commissioners. Our goal is to promote the circular economy by representing Europe’s private resource and waste management industry. To support this mission, we have published our manifesto, where we call for a European Industrial Deal and a Circular Material Use Act.