Virginijus SINKEVICIUS, Commissioner-designate for Environment and Oceans, is heard by the Committee on Fisheries (PECH) and the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) of the European Parliament in Brussels to test his general competences, European commitment and specific expertise related to his portfolio. Statements by Frédérique RIES (RE, BE), Sven GIEGOLD (Greens/EFA, DE), César LUENA (S&D, ES), Malin BJÖRK (GUE/NGL, SE) and Virginijus SINKEVICIUS, Commissioner-designate for Environment and Oceans.

Brussels

Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

GIEGOLD, Sven (Greens/EFA, DE)

BJÖRK, Malin (The Left, SE)

RIES, Frédérique (Renew, BE)

Committee on Fisheries

hearing of Commissioners

LUENA, César (S&D, ES)

2019 Commissioners' hearings (T)

SINKEVIČIUS, Virginijus (LT, EC)

hearing of Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS 2019 (T)

Hearing of Virginijus SINKEVICIUS, Commissioner-designate, Environment and Oceans: extracts from the hearing (1/2)

SOUNDBITE (French), Fr&#233;d&#233;rique RIES (RE, BE), On biodegradability of plastics, I am perplex as there is no European standards real word conditions, particularly in marine environment, are you sure this is the right way to go?

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVICIUS, Commissioner-designate, Environment and Oceans, The next steps has to be micro plastics specially in textiles, tyres and pellets, that is the main sources. For biodegradable plastics which you have mention we have establish a clear regulatory framework and identify some of the applications from which biodegradable plastics are made of, chemicals, plastic package. I think the next key steps will be to decrease over-packaging, tackling over-packaging.

SOUNDBITE (English), Sven GIEGOLD (Greens/EFA, DE), Will you deliver finally the non-toxic strategy with all its four legs?

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVICIUS, Commissioner-designate, Environment and Oceans, Endocrine disruptors they have to be standardised and perceived as the Carcinogenic, Mutagenic, Reprotoxic (CMR) [substances], at the same level. Secondly, it is important that we will protect the most vulnerable, elderly people, children. It is important that endocrine disruptors will be prohibited from toys, cosmetics, which we apply directly on our skins, food contact materials.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), C&#233;sar LUENA (S&amp;D, ES), Will you agree to table a new measure adapting the EU legislation on air quality to the latest WHO guidelines? Are you going to propose specific measures for Low Emission Zones(LEZ) in European cities?

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVICIUS, Commissioner-designate, Environment and Oceans, I will present to College endorsement a Clean Air Action Plan setting out, first of all, a zero tolerance to non-compliance for the current air quality standards. Of course we have to address the EU legislative framework, mapping it , adapting it to the latest WHO recommendations . Of course, speaking about the cities as you have asked, first of all is dialogue and mechanism, and handing assistance to Member States and cities to adjust. Regarding the clear zones, I will be very specific here that local authorities may chose to introduce traffic restrictions or CO2 free-zones.

SOUNDBITE (English), Malin BJ&#214;RK (GUE/NGL, SE), In order to change consumption patterns in Europe. what concrete policies would you put into the biodiversity action?

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVICIUS, Commissioner-designate, Environment and Oceans, The Biodiversity strategy will be one of the key pillars of the EU&lsquo;Green Deal&rsquo;. I do not think it is possible a EU&lsquo;Green Deal&rsquo; without an effective management of biodiversity. For us it is important to address forest degradation, and specially poor conservation, habitats and species protection, and Natura 2000 areas.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVICIUS, Commissioner-designate, Environment and Oceans, Agriculture, energy, transport, and so on, everything what causes trouble today basically, what causes the six mass extinction. I want to be very firm here because we talk about more resources needed, more money but it is very important that we will be strategic on this goal.