On 1 October 2014, Marianne Thyssen, Member designate of the EC in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, was heard by the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs of the European Parliament for a hearing to test her general competences, European commitment and specific expertise related to her portfolio. Although the Parliament can only vote on the Commission as a whole, a negative assessment of one of the candidates has in the past already led to the candidacy being withdrawn and replaced. Marianne Thyssen was a Member of the European Parliament from 1991 to 10 July 2014 sitting in the Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats).

Brussels

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

statement

hearing

THYSSEN, Marianne (EPP, BE, EC)

2014 Commissioners' hearings (T)

hearing of Marianne THYSSEN (T)

Hearing of Marianne THYSSEN (Belgium), Commissioner-designate for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility: extracts from the statement by Marianne THYSSEN

Title: Hearing of Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner-designate in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility: extracts from the statements by Marianne THYSSEN (Belgium)

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner-designate in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, The financial and economic crisis has taken a huge toll, the special measures that the Union had to take were necessary, we are beginning to see the positive results of that policy, albeit in a very cautious way.

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner-designate in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, President Jean Claude JUNCKER has asked me because of that to assure that the word SOCIAL once more enjoys its full significance as a means of fulfilling the market economy.

SOUNDBITE (French), Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner-designate in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, As far as I am concerned, we don't have to choose between competitiveness and social fairness, they are two sides of the same coin, and together they provide the basis for a social market economy to be competitive while showing solidarity. My role will be to contribute to improving conditions for people to return to jobs and to fight exclusion and poverty.

SOUNDBITE (English), Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner-designate in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, My goals for the next 5 years are crystal clear: fighting for more jobs and for a better social protection, fighting against poverty and social exclusion. Those are the priorities of many Europeans and I am deeply convinced that those are also yours.

SOUNDBITE (French), Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner-designate in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, Firstly, job creation. Jobs which were destroyed by the crisis amount to millions, in order to provide new prospects to the unemployed we must start by creating new jobs. Businesses, particularly SMEs, need favourable conditions to start up and develop their activities, whether they be traditional or innovative and conquer new markets.

SOUNDBITE (French), Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner-designate in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, Secondly, access to employment. Amongst the solutions we envisaged, better mobility for workers has a prominent place. We must promote that.

SOUNDBITE (French), Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner-designate in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, Thirdly, qualifications. Our competitiveness depends primarily on our skills.

SOUNDBITE (French), Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner-designate in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, Fourthly, social protection. This is a key investment for our prosperity.

SOUNDBITE (English), Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner-designate in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, I can assure you that I will mobilise all available financial instruments to invest in people.

SOUNDBITE (English), Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner-designate in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, The economic governance needs to move up a gear. Employment and social policies need to be much more present in the European Semester.

SOUNDBITE (English), Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner-designate in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, Proportionate common rules are essential to keep a level playing field and to protect workers in the single market without creating excessive burdens.

SOUNDBITE (English), Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner-designate in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, On this basis I will propose modernisation and, where appropiate, simplification of our legislative acquis while maintaining a high level of social protection.

SOUNDBITE (English), Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner-designate in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, We have a common objective: people, their health, their work, their well being, for people that is what Europe is about. You can count on me, I will be your ally to deliver this. objective.