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as a whole, a negative assessment of one of the candidates has in the past already led to the candidacy being withdrawn and replaced.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

exchange of views

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

HARKIN, Marian (ALDE, IE)

LAMBERT, Jean (Greens/EFA, UK)

BECERRA BASTERRECHEA, Beatriz (ALDE, ES)

hearing

STEINRUCK, Jutta (S&D, DE)

THYSSEN, Marianne (EPP, BE, EC)

FOUNTOULIS, Lampros (NI, EL)

MANN, Thomas (EPP, DE)

AGEA, Laura (EFDD, IT)

hearing of Marianne THYSSEN (T)

Hearing of Marianne THYSSEN (Belgium), Commissioner-designate for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility: MEPs questions / answers

SOUNDBITE (German), Jutta STEINRUCK (S&amp;D, DE), Where do you believe the specific weaknesses lie when it comes to posting of workers and what are your specific plans to improve the lot of workers?

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner-designate in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, The new instruments are required to ensure there is no abuse, the systems are used properly, there is cooperation between authorities and inspectors in the various member states. That is a vital prerequisite if we are to ensure that there is proper implementation.

SOUNDBITE (English), Marian HARKIN (ALDE, IE), What modifications and changes are needed for the European Semester to achieve the EU2020 targets?

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner-designate in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, I think we need to make efforts to ensure and indeed there is an agreement to this effect within the team of future commissioners that the social indicators should have much more clout attached to them. A second thing we must do in relation to the European Semester is in short that we can involve the social partners more closely.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jean LAMBERT (Greens/EFA, UK), We are interested to know, how you will push for the new green jobs and green skills, the whole green transition agenda within the new Commission?

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner-designate in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, We have the initiatives that are already ongoing, we have got the communication on the new economy, the green jobs, all of this is not marginal, this is central to society in transition, we must have the courage to invest in innovative projects, we have got to have the courage to experiment and make sure that we use instruments we have in Europe for this purpose.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Laura AGEA (EFDD, IT), Do you feel in a position to issue a recommendation to all the member states that they should enter into a commitment to provide a minimum income for all citizens?

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner-designate in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, We can make efforts in Europe in terms of supporting member states in drawing up a reference budget, that is the sort of thing we can do together, but we cannot impose or insist upon a minimum income.

SOUNDBITE (Greek), Lampros FOUNTOULIS (NI, EL), What specific legislative and non-legislative initiatives would you undertake so that we can include to the job market people with special problems?

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner-designate in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, To be very specific, in the short term we could perhaps make a legislative effort, there has been a talk about enhancing access for people with disabilities, there is a demand in the European Parliament on this. I think we should be looking at the Commission's services to work out a directive where there can be a real single market for goods and services for people with disabilities.

SOUNDBITE (German), Thomas MANN (EPP, DE), What can we do at member state level, how we can encourage them to make full use of the funds available, is the allocation the way it should be, are things too complicated or is there a lack of willingness to take action?

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner-designate in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, I think we have to keep looking at the Youth Guarantee and the recommendations that the member states themselves have taken under commitment to ensure that young people can be lead into the labour market within three of four months after leaving school or becoming unemployed they should be either is some kind of education, training or a job. We want to support member states, that's being done, we are having seminars to exchange best practices, to see what can be done, to explain how the youth initiative works.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Beatriz BECERRA BASTERRECHEA (ALDE, ES), What do you intend to do to match the skills and jobs in Europe in the next five years?

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Marianne THYSSEN, Commissioner-designate in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, Mr Junker has decided to take a number of responsibilities from the education DG over to employment, including vocational training and other education. I think that is a clear signal that for those sectors the link between education training and the labour market is certain, they have to come closer together.