The European Parliament approved on Wednesday the new college of 27 Commissioners, with 423 votes in favour, 209 against and 67 abstentions.
The new Commission now needs to be formally appointed by EU heads of state or government to enable it to take up duty on 1 November for a five-year term.
Before the vote, Jean-Claude Juncker, President – elect of the European Commission presented the new college to the MEPs, saying “this will be a last chance salon Commission. Either we succeed in bringing European citizens closer to Europe, or we will fail, either we succeed together in dramatically reducing levels of unemployment or we will fail, either we give back chances to our young people or we fail”.
Juncker said he would like the EU “to find its way back and equip itself with another sort of triple A. I would like Europe to have the social triple A which is just as important as the economic and financial triple A”.
He said that before Christmas he will present a 300 billion euro investment package for growth, jobs and competitiveness, noting that “we have to combine public money and private money to promote economy. Is not just the state`s role to deal with economy, entrepreneurs have their own responsibility” he said.
“We need to work hand in hand with the private sector in order to promote growth” he said, adding that the main task ahead is the combating of unemployment.
Juncker noted that excessive austerity will not revive growth or create more jobs. “We need budgetary discipline, growth oriented policies, we need investment so that we move into the future”.
The President – elect of the European Commission said that there will not be any new member states during the mandate of his Commission. “Is not feasible. Obviously enlargement negotiations will continue with the same energy and commitment that has been seen so far, but is not realistic to think that they could be successfully concluded by 2019”.
On Ebola, Juncker said that the EU “did nothing at all until the moment the epidemic arrived on the shores of Europe. We should have acted earlier” he said, adding that he asked the Cypriot Commissioner responsible for Humanitarian Aid “to go as quickly as possible to Africa to show that Europe is on the spot”.
He said the Commission “will be very political in nature”, as it comprises former Prime Ministers and Ministers, outgoing Commissioners and former MEPs.
He said it was “pathetic” that only nine out of 28 Commissioners were women.
