On 1 October 2014, Vĕra Jourová, Member designate of the EC in charge of Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, was heard by the European Parliament to test her general competences, European commitment and specific expertise related to her portfolio. Vĕra Jourová had the opportunity to make an opening statement, she took part in a question and answer session and made a closing statement.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as a whole, a negative assessment of one of the candidates has in the past already led to the candidacy being withdrawn and replaced. Vĕra Jourová, was Czech Minister for Regional Development.

Brussels

Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

exchange of views

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

JOUROVÁ, Věra (EC)

Committee on Legal Affairs

IN 'T VELD, Sophia (Renew, NL)

GEBHARDT, Evelyne (S&D, DE)

hearing

Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality

MAŠTÁLKA, Jiří (GUE/NGL, CZ)

DUDA, Andrzej (PL)

ZWIEFKA, Tadeusz (EPP, PL)

hearing of Vĕra JOUROVÁ (T)

Hearing of Vĕra JOUROVÁ (Czech Republic), Commissioner-designate for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality: MEPs questions & answers

Title: Hearing of V&#277;ra JOUROV&#193;, Commissioner-designate in charge of Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Tadeusz ZWIEFKA (EPP, PL), We shoud avoid overregulation, we should avoid imposing too much administartive burdens on the SMEs' sector. We should eliminate the existing ones as well. I'd like to hear your view in eliminating barriers, would that be one of your priorities?

SOUNDBITE (Czech), V&#277;ra JOUROV&#193;, Commissioner-designate in charge of Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, We must try to ensure that all the regulations and recommendations and directives not only add to the administrative burden laid up on those who are the economic backbone of the European society.

SOUNDBITE (Czech), V&#277;ra JOUROV&#193;, Commissioner-designate in charge of Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, The DG just under my portfolio has several proposals for simplification, be it for the self-employed, there are directives under negotiations, there's a significant recommendation to simplification of the insolvency proceedings and we are trying to give companies a second chance, so that during the fluctuations of their cash flow or business activities they don't go bankrupt.

SOUNDBITE (German), Evelyne GEBHARDT (S&amp;D, DE), You are responsible for consumer protection, very important area, has a large horizontal aspect to it as well, corsses into other areas. How do you intend to approach this horizontal aspect and link it to the pillar structure in the Commission?

SOUNDBITE (Czech), V&#277;ra JOUROV&#193;, Commissioner-designate in charge of Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, I would like to remove some concerns that this policy will get lost in my portfolio. I want to be the voice speaking for the consumers; We are all consumers, and the consumers have a great power. If my statistics is right, the consumers make for 56 percent of europe's GDP and boosting the confidence of consumers is crucial and consumer activity mus be the driving factor for economy and employment.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Andrzej DUDA (ECR, PL), What are you planning to do to make sure that the newly established rules are well enforced? How are you going to make sure that consumer rights, especially online, are not infringed upon?

SOUNDBITE (Czech), V&#277;ra JOUROV&#193;, Commissioner-designate in charge of Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, Data protection reform pursues one important objective that is to increase the trust of people, so that people can trust online transactions and are willing to provide their data, knowing thzat personal data will not mbe abused for security reasons, or commercial reasons. This is a basic pre-requisite if we wish yo increase the number of digital online transactions.

SOUNDBITE (English), Sophia IN&apos;T VELD (ALDE, NL), Will you join forces with Parliament and several member states an put forward a roadmap for LGBTI rights?

SOUNDBITE (Czech), V&#277;ra JOUROV&#193;, Commissioner-designate in charge of Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, With respect to the responsibility, it is clear that we will have to appeal on the cooperation of the member states and there are a lot of member states that wish to have such a roadmap. Abnd memeber states are responsible for such instruments on how to fight such homophobic attacks and so on. I will use other means such as awareness campaigns, different pubblications, documents and we should improve the way how we work with data that are available.

SOUNDBITE (Czech), Ji&#345;&#237; MA&#352;T&#193;LKA (GUE/NGL, CZ), Removing administrative burden and all proposals for simplifying the administrative conditions can contribute to the competitiveness to business and access of citizens to service, but how will you, as the Commissioner, prevent the use of standards in legal provisions protecting the legal rights of workers?

SOUNDBITE (Czech), V&#277;ra JOUROV&#193;, Commissioner-designate in charge of Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, i think that this is a question that we must tackle very cautiously. Being cautious, we will be helped by sector associations and organisations that watch and monitor the rights of workers and also the trade unions are important in this part.