European Parliament decision approving the Commission in its new form
Date: 2004-05-05
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: European Commission, European Commissioner

C 85 E/50

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

7.4.2005

Wednesday 5 May 2004

P5_TA(2004)0384

TEXTS ADOPTED

Approval of the European Commission with its new Members

European Parliament decision approving the Commission in its new form

The European Parliament,

— having regard to Article 214(2), third subparagraph, and Article 215 of the EC Treaty,

— having regard to the Act concerning the conditions of accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of
Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of
Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak
Republic, and the adjustments to the Treaties on which the European Union is founded (1), and in
particular Article 45 thereof,

— having regard to the candidates nominated by the 10 new Member States for appointment as Members
of the Commission, namely Péter Balįzs, Joe Borg, Jįn Figel', Dalia Grybauskaitė, Danuta Hübner, Siim
Kallas, Sandra Kalniete, Markos Kyprianou, Janez Potočnik and Pavel Telička,

— having regard to the hearings of the candidates conducted by its Conference of Committee Chairmen

on 13 to 15 April 2004,

— having regard to the Council's intention to appoint the 10 new Members of the Commission by 5 May
2004 at the latest, as stated in its letter of 26 February 2004 to the President of the European Parlia-
ment,

— having regard to the resignation of Mr Michel Barnier as a Member of the Commission, tendered on

31 March 2004,

— having regard to the nomination by the Government of the French Republic on 1 April 2004 of

Mr Jacques Barrot for appointment as a Member of the Commission,

— having regard to the resignation of Mr Pedro Solbes Mira as a Member of the Commission, tendered on

17 April 2004,

— having regard to the nomination by the Kingdom of Spain on 19 April 2004 of Mr Joaquín Almunia

for appointment as a Member of the Commission,

— having regard to the hearings of the candidates to replace Mr Barnier and Mr Solbes Mira conducted on

26 and 27 April 2004 respectively,

— having regard to the presentation of the new enlarged Commission made by its President on 5 May

2004,

— having regard to Rule 33 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. noting the results of the hearings of the ten nominee Commissioners from the new Member States, as
summarised in the evaluation letters addressed by the individual chairmen of the parliamentary com-
mittees to the chairman of the Conference of Committee Chairmen and the recommendation of the
Conference of Committee Chairmen to the Conference of Presidents,

B.

recalling that, in accordance with the procedure set out in the Treaties and Parliament's Rules of Pro-
cedure, Parliament will have to approve the new Commission in advance of its taking up its duties on
1 November 2004, and that comprehensive and decisive hearings by Parliament's committees will take
place at that stage,

(1) OJ L 236, 23.9.2003, p. 33.

7.4.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 85 E/51

Wednesday 5 May 2004

C.

D.

E.

F.

acknowledging that the Prodi Commission must continue to fulfil its duties in accordance with its 2004
legislative and work programme and Parliament's resolution of 17 December 2003 (1) on this subject
right until the end of its mandate, but expecting it, for the period after the elections, not to take new
initiatives of major political import relating to the period after the expiry of its mandate,

recalling the Council's decision of 9 July 1999 (2) not to proceed to the replacement of resigning Com-
missioners and urging the Member States and the Council to refrain from replacing members of the
current Commission who retire before the end of its term of office,

reiterating its call in favour of a parallelism of terms of office between the European Parliament and the
Commission,

calling for a review of the procedure to cover circumstances in which individual Members of the Com-
mission retire before their term of office ends,

Approves the Commission in its new form for the remainder of its term of office until 31 October

1.
2004;

Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Council, the Commission and the governments

2.
of the Member States.

(1) P5_TA(2003)0585.
(2) OJ L 192, 24.7.1999, p. 53.

P5_TA(2004)0385

Appointment of Jan Kinšt as a Member of the European Court of Auditors

European Parliament decision on the nomination of Jan Kinšt for the office of Member of the Court
of Auditors (C5-0197/2004 — 2004/0809(CNS))

The European Parliament,

— having regard to Article 247(3) of the EC Treaty and Article 160b(3) of the EAEC Treaty, pursuant to

which the Council consulted Parliament (C5-0197/2004),

— whereas at its meeting on 6 April 2004 the Committee on Budgetary Control heard the Council's
nominee for the office of Member of the Court of Auditors, and at its meeting on 3 May 2004 con-
sidered the nominee's qualifications in the light of the criteria laid down by Articles 45b of the ECSC
Treaty, 247(2) of the EC Treaty and 160b of the EAEC Treaty,

— having regard to Rule 35 of its Rules of Procedure,

— having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control (A5-0283/2004),

1.

Delivers a favourable opinion on the appointment of Jan Kinšt as a Member of the Court of Auditors;

2.
Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Council and, for information, to the Court of
Auditors, the other institutions of the European Communities and the Audit Offices of the Member States.