Appointment of EU Parliament Health Commissioner: Tonio Borg (Malta)

A European Parliament hearing of Tonio Borg (the replacement candidate for John Dali as Malta's EU Commissioner in Brussels), took place  on 13 November in the presence of the members of the Committees on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) and Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO).  Apart from questions about the various areas of responsibility he would be assuming, Mr Borg was also questioned about his views on abortion and gay rights, as several MEPs expressed concerns in relation to reports that he had adopted on anti-gay cohabitation and anti-abortion stances. Borg denied the claims repeatedly. On abortion, he said that under the EU Treaties, issues surrounding abortion remain firmly within the competencies of the member states, but he said he would act as a European Commissioner, rather than a Maltese one. On issues regarding gay co-habitation, Mr Borg said that he had helped to initiate rules in Malta designed to enable same-sex cohabitants to register their interests and had strengthened protection against homophobic crimes.

During the hearing he confirmed he would prioritise the tobacco products Directive update, which was at the centre of a controversy that led to the resignation of his predecessor, John Dali.

No mention was made by deputies of allegations that Borg played a role in granting Maltese residency permits to a Kazakh couple who facing criminal allegations. Before the hearing, German MEP Elmer Brook had requested clarification from Borg over claims that he helped the couple evade criminal prosecution by granting them permanent residency permits in Malta. Borg denounced the reports as "gross calumny and lies" ahead of the hearing.

MEPs seemed broadly satisfied with Borg’s performance, with reports suggesting that the European Peoples’ Party swiftly decided to adopt him following the hearing. The relevant Committee chairs and political group coordinators consulted one another before the MEPs vote on a resolution on Borg’s appointment at the Parliament’s November plenary session in Strasbourg.

On 15 November, the coordinators of the Parliament’s political groups agreed on the conditions that Mr Borg should meet to win endorsement, as three political groups still opposed his appointment (e.g. ALDE, Green/EFA and GUE/NG). It was agreed that, for Mr Borg to be endorsed by a majority in the Parliament, he should publicly commit to a number of actions, including 

•  The delivery of the legislative proposal on tobacco products by January 2013;
•  Full respect of the EU Charter on Fundamental rights, in particular of Article 21, as well as of EU anti-discrimination legislation and case-law;