In an email to TT, Roswall writes that she is grateful and happy about the decision, but also that she is ready to get started with the work: "We have major issues to tackle, and I look forward to our joint work on the environment, water resilience, and a competitive circular economy."
So far, all proposed commissioners have been approved directly - but not Roswall. In Roswall's case, there was sharp criticism of what was considered too vague and incomplete answers.
The meeting between the leaders of the different party groups in the parliament's environmental committee resumed on Wednesday afternoon. At 5 pm, a new message came from the committee: Jessika Roswall is approved as environmental commissioner in the EU.
"Jessika Roswall made a weak appearance in the hearing. But building an EU commission is about how governments have nominated their candidates. It is clear that it will be a major challenge for Roswall to deliver on environmental policy. Now it's up to proof", says Social Democrat Heléne Fritzon, who sits on the environmental committee, in a written comment to TT.
Only the Christian Democratic Conservative EPP, which includes M and KD, and the SD's party group ECR wanted to say yes directly to Roswall. The far-right and left wanted to vote her down, while mainly the social democratic party group S&D wanted more time to consider.
Representatives of S&D met on Wednesday morning to consider what they would do.
The EU Commission consists of one member from each member state. All have been nominated by their member states, although it is President Ursula von der Leyen who has determined which different tasks they will receive.
This week and next Tuesday, the nominees will be subjected to three-hour-long hearings by different committees in the EU Parliament. To be approved, initial support from two-thirds of the members is required. Otherwise, it may become necessary to request additional written answers or extra hearings. In the worst case, a member state may be forced to nominate a new candidate.
Once all committees have said yes, a final formal vote will be held in the entire EU Parliament before the new Commission can take office, at the earliest from December 1.
