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Committee hearings for the European Union (EU)'s new college of Commissioners have descended into partisan tit-for-tat. Confirmation of two of the most high profile nominees, Britain's Jonathan Hill and France's Pierre Moscovici, hanging in the balance.
In a surprise move, Hill, the commissioner-designate for financial services, will have to pass a second hearing in front of the European Parliament's (EP) economic and monetary committee before being confirmed in his job.
Hill's first hearing on Wednesday afternoon did not actually generate as much animosity from MEPs as had been predicted.
The British candidate for the post of commissioner for financial stability, financial services and capital markets union was expected to have faced a severe grilling because of his background as a lobbyist for the financial services industry, as well as Britain's dysfunctional relationship with the EU.
The consensus among MEPs was that Hill made the right noises in the hearing. He began his opening speech in acceptable French and Italian before reverting to his mother tongue. More broadly he stated several times a commitment to work for the good of the EU above the narrow interests of Britain.
"I am not here as a representative of the City of London, I am here to represent the European interest," he said at the hearing in Brussels. "I have a very clear and simple view, it is in the interests of the EU for Britain to be in it, and for Britain to be in the EU."
But after the hearing a number of committee members expressed concern about the lack of detail when it came to answering questions on what he would actually do as commissioner.
The economic and monetary affairs spokeswoman for the centre-left Socialists & Democrats (S&D) Elisa Ferreira said: "Lord Hill has demonstrated great personal qualities and communication skills. We believe that he can be a good commissioner but he did not entirely convince us in relation to the content and priorities of his portfolio."
"He failed to provide concrete answers on specific issues such as the capital markets union, shadow banking or the European deposit guarantee scheme which is the last remaining component of the banking union. These issues are of the outmost importance for the S&D," said Ferreira.
"We will ask him to provide clarifications during an exchange of views with members of the economic and monetary affairs in the European Parliament," Ferreira continued.
Green party MEP Sven Giegold asked Hill how he would address the issue of eurobonds.
By sharing public debt eurobonds have been suggested as a way to tackle the European sovereign debt crisis. Indebted states could borrow new funds on better terms as they would be supported by the ratings of stronger states, in particular Germany.
However, as a non-euro country the issue is not of great significance in Britain. Giegold tweeted: "Hill says he did not have a particularly informed view of eurobonds, and he wants to be financial market commissioner?"
Another Green MEP, the Belgian Philippe Lamberts, probed Hill on what he might do about "too-big-to-fail banks", and was equally dismayed at what he saw as a lacklustre answer.
Other mainly centre-right MEPs defended Hill's performance. Overseeing capital markets union will undoubtedly be one of the most technically complex jobs in the next EU commission.
Kay Swinburne, conservative MEP for Wales, said: "It's not easy to learn five years of financial regulation in 10 days."
Hill's second hearing will take place early next week, most likely on Monday. The various EP groups will meet on Oct. 8 and 9 in order to evaluate the hearings. Later on Oct. 9 the party presidents will declare the hearings closed and finalise the evaluation.
The entire college of 27 commissioners proposed by Jean-Claude Juncker, EC president-elect, has to be approved in a vote at the next plenary session of the EP in Strasbourg to be held on Oct. 22.
Over the next few days there could still be some reshuffling of the candidates to appease the various competing interests in the EP and between EU member states.
The lack of support for Hill from the S&D looks part of a wider game in which the party is looking to put pressure on Juncker's own centre-right European People's Party (EPP).
The EPP could still block the appointment of Pierre Moscovici, the French socialist commissioner-designate for economic and financial affairs.
The centre-right doubts Moscovici's ability to impose the budget discipline seen as necessary to stave off a new eurozone crisis on the incumbent socialist government in France.
On Thursday, Moscovici was subjected to a harsh grilling from MEPs about his relationship with his own country given his position as French finance minister until April this year.
"A country, even France, has to follow the rules," he said. "And my role will be to ensure those rules are respected."
Moscovici insisted "will do his duty" as commissioner.
Although not yet called to a second hearing, Burkhard Balz, EPP spokesman on the economic and monetary affairs committee, said of Moscovici that he "was hardly credible".
"He did not convince his own government to ensure compliance with the eurozone stability pact or to enforce deep economic reforms," said Balz.
"How will he be able to convince 28 member states? We call for clarification of his actual portfolio and mandate," said Balz.
Hungarian Tibor Navracsics also faces doubts about his job as commissioner for culture and education. Navracsics's role in Viktor Orban's Hungarian government means he could be also be rejected by MEPs. Enditem
