On 30 September 2014, Carlos Moedas, Member designate of the EC in charge of Research, Science and Innovation, was heard by the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy of the European Parliament to test his general competences, European commitment and specific expertise related to his portfolio. He had the opportunity to make an opening statement before taking part in the question and answer session. Although the Parliament can only vote on the European Commission as a whole, a negative assessment of one of the candidates has in the past often led to the candidacy being withdrawn and replaced.

Brussels

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

exchange of views

ZORRINHO, Carlos (S&D, PT)

HENKEL, Hans-Olaf (ECR, DE)

KARIŅŠ, Krišjānis (EPP, LV)

BUZEK, Jerzy (EPP, PL)

SYLIKIOTIS, Neoklis (GUE/NGL, CY)

hearing

MOEDAS, Carlos (PT, EC)

EHLER, Christian (EPP, DE)

hearing of Carlos MOEDAS (T)

Hearing of Carlos MOEDAS (Portugal), Commissioner-designate for Research, Science and Innovation: MEPs questions & answers

SOUNDBITE (English), Jerzy BUZEK (EPP, PL), Chair Committee on Industry, Research and Innovation, "And now we go to the first round  of questions".

SOUNDBITE (English), Christian EHLER (EPP, DE), "The European Research Area is meant to be up and running byt the end of the year, however it is still far from complete. From your perspective, what are the main obstacles in achieving these goals, and what are your priorities in tackling them? "

SOUNDBITE (English), Carlos MOEDAS, Commissioner-designate for Research, Science and Innovation, "What we are missing now, is how can you actually do it with the Member States. And that you can make them actually implement those tools. And I would stress three things that I think are the bottlenecks or part of the bottlenecks: one, we need better alignment in between the national research agendas, second,there's and important point which is about the lack of transparency that in some cases still exit in recruitment in universities and research centres across Europe, that has to be tackled, third, to continue the gender dimension, to actually fight the gender imbalance that is unfair in Europe."

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Carlos ZORRINHO (S&amp;D, PT), "Commissoner-designate, are you going to be able to convince Council not just to not cut the funding but reinforce funding for Horizon 2020?"

SOUNDBITE (English), Carlos MOEDAS, Commissioner-designate for Research, Science and Innovation, "If you look between 1995-2007, 62% of growth in Europe came precisely from the field of innovation. So this portfolio links necessarily with this 300 billion euro package and I will be fighting our corner to try and establish that link."

SOUNDBITE (English), Hans-Olaf HENKEL (ECR, DE), "Even if we did everything that we are planning to do in Europe, it would only cover about 6% of the total expenses in research and development, 94% are being done by the countries. I am wondering, what are you doing to ensure that the countries at last spend that amount of money for research and development which they promise since a long time?"

SOUNDBITE (English), Carlos MOEDAS, Commissioner-designate for Research, Science and Innovation, "We have to find ways of aligning agendas at the level of the countries, we have projects in infrastructure that should be used across the Union as a ressource, because if there's a case in Europe for a policy that should be in Europe its about research, science and innovation. So the countries they have their role but our role is our ability to go to those couontries and explain to them how important it is."

SOUNDBITE (Greek), Neoclis SYLIKIOTIS (GUE/NGL, CY), "You have made mention of cuts on research spending, particularly under the 2020 programme, but you havent made any mention how you are going to fill the shortfalls following such cuts?"

SOUNDBITE (English), Carlos MOEDAS, Commissioner-designate for Research, Science and Innovation, "I need the help of the parliament to be able to tackle that problem. We have to think in ways that, for the future, can establish a real framework of correspondence in between commitments and payments. We have to  establish that for the future. because the situation as it is is not sustainable."

SOUNDBITE (English), Kri&#353;j&#257;nis KARI&#325;&#352; (EPP, LV), "What best qualifies you to be the champion of research that this committee and this parliament so very much needs?"

SOUNDBITE (English), Carlos MOEDAS, establish, "I am an implementation person, I've been for three years, really on a job that was just about that. I am actually much less public speaking and much more doing it."'

SOUNDBITE (English), Jerzy BUZEK (EPP, PL), Chair of Chair Committee on Industry, Research and Innovation, "It is good to see a former ERASMUS student as the Commissioner-designate, so it means our work is done for something very concrete."