Jonathan Hill is to be Britain’s man in Brussels – or maybe not if some MEPs get their way in hearings this week.
Parliamentarians have expressed concern about Jonathan Hill’s previous links to the City of London, which they think makes him unsuitable to succeed Michel Barnier, the bloc’s financial services commissioner.
They think that he is merely Prime Minister David Cameron’s ‘personal’ envoy to defend Britain’s interest.
“Do you really want to trust the regulation of the financial sector to a former lobbyist, coming from the UK,” asked Philippe Lambert, a Green MEP from Belgium.
Huffing and puffing is what the European Parliament does best.
But MEPs do have the power to block the appointment of the whole Juncker commission under EU rules.
Liberals and left-wing members are also targeting Hungary’s Tibor Navracsics, a senior member of Victor Orban’s government.
And doubts have been cast on Alenka Bartusek from Slovenia, who effectively nominated herself when she was prime minister.
Meanwhile, Spain’s Miguel Arias Cañete might be earmarked to take over the climate action dossier, but he has previously strong links to the oil sector.
Then there is former French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici. He will be tasked with keeping an eye on his country’s public spending; Paris has already said it will breach an EU-agreed deficit target this year.
The hearings will last until October 7.
