Julian King will play a leading part in implementing the Security Union unveiled last year
The UK s incoming EU commissioner will face a three-hour grilling before the European Parliament on Monday, as MEPs line up to question his appointment to a new security dossier after Britain s vote to leave the bloc1. Sir Julian King, a career diplomat currently serving as ambassador to France, must pass a confirmation hearing of European lawmakers in Strasbourg before taking up his new role in Brussels overseeing the security union . David Cameron, former British prime minister, nominated Sir Julian to succeed Jonathan Hill after his resignation from the European Commission in the wake of the Brexit referendum.
The security union dossier was created for the new UK commissioner as Jean-Claude Juncker, commission president, handed Lord Hill s powerful financial services post to Valdis Dombrovskis of Latvia. MEPs on the parliament s civil liberties, justice and home affairs committee have questioned this choice of portfolio for Sir Julian given the UK s opt-out from EU justice policies and preparations to leave the bloc.
It s not going to be an easy hearing, said Claude Moraes, Labour MEP for London who chairs the committee . It will be a tough hearing but he is well-prepared, has worked extremely hard in the preparation and members can see his determination to make this a portfolio which will be taken seriously. The committee hearing with Sir Julian is scheduled for Monday evening, with a vote to be taken on Tuesday . In the past the parliament has rejected a small number of national nominees for commission posts but there is confidence in official circles that MEPs will endorse Sir Julian.
There are, of course broader questions that he cannot answer about things that need to be clarified . People feel a bit uneasy, I think . We are in a very weird phase
There is a slim centre-right majority on the committee, which has more than 60 members . Although Sir Julian needs a simple majority to secure the post, the small parliamentary group to which Britain s Conservative government is attached has only a handful of seats on the committee. Sophia in t Veld, a Dutch liberal MEP who sits on the committee, said soundings with colleagues suggested they had a positive impression of Sir Julian .
Unless he really, really messes up and I don t think he will then my guess is he is going to be OK on the issue of the hearing itself.
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What impact is Brexit having on the economy, house prices, markets and politics? Yet serious questions would still be raised, she added.
There are, of course broader questions that he cannot answer about things that need to be clarified . People feel a bit uneasy, I think .
We are in a very weird phase.
The UK has an opt-out of police and justice co-operation, but the fact that he gets this portfolio is the choice of Mr Juncker.
In written answers to a questionnaire, Sir Julian told MEPs that common security challenges and the need for close co-operation will remain after Brexit.
I believe there is a key role for the EU to play in the areas covered by this portfolio where more needs to be done at European level to address the transnational threat and supply chains of organised crime and terrorism to further strengthen the work of national authorities, he said.
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References
- ^ leave the bloc (www.ft.com)