Margaritis SCHINAS, Commissioner-designate for Protecting our European Way of Life is heard by the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) in association with the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) of the European Parliament in Brussels to test his general competences, European commitment and specific expertise related to his portfolio. Statements by Roberta METSOLA (EPP, MT), Birgit SIPPEL (S&D, DE), Sophia IN'T VELD (RE, NL), Magid MAGID (Greens/EFA, UK) and Margaritis SCHINAS, Commissioner-designate for Protecting our European Way of Life.

Brussels

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

SIPPEL, Birgit (S&D, DE)

IN 'T VELD, Sophia (Renew, NL)

Committee on Culture and Education

hearing of Commissioners

SCHINAS, Margaritis (EPP-DE, EL, EC)

MAGID, Magid (Greens/EFA, UK)

2019 Commissioners' hearings (T)

hearing of Margaritis SCHINAS 2019 (T)

Hearing of Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President-designate, Protecting our European Way of Life: extracts from the hearing

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA (EPP, MT), Specifically when it comes to migration, while arrivals have reduced, there are still people losing their life at our doors, trafficking networks are still operating, returns are still not where we need them to be, we still lack a proper system of responsibility sharing, countries of origin still need to increase European investment to build up their systems and readmission agreements are still too few.

SOUNDBITE (English), Margaritis SCHINAS, Commissioner-designate, Protecting our European Way of Life, I think that we have to start keeping our emphasis on the Dublin, the reform of Dublin and corresponding procedures. That one block the situation bringing all the other elements that combine the full picture: returns; new readmission agreements and arrangements; Schengen; borders; we have to help people see that there is not one issue that can be the magic bullet in all this .

SOUNDBITE (German), Birgit SIPPEL (S&amp;D, DE), Unfortunately the title of your portfolio plays into the hands of right wing extremists leading to interpretation that you are building a kind of fortress Europe. But our culture has always been influenced by migration visible in everyday things like food, architecture, music. Migration is challenge, but migrants are not a threat.

SOUNDBITE (English), Margaritis SCHINAS, Commissioner-designate, Protecting our European Way of Life, The EU is a beacon of light in a world that's become darker. We are divers, we are inclusive, we are different, we are special, we are admired and envied. I think that it's also in our interest to use positively these attributes, to make more resilient and more inclusive societies, without having the fear - or some called self-flagellations - that we have to apologise because of our values. And if certain populists try to speculate or instrumental our values, I would say that our values are very resistant to be threaten by the populists. The populists should be threaten by our values.

SOUNDBITE (English), Sophia IN&apos;T VELD (RE, NL), What battle does the Commission want to pick? Because there was a vote in July win with a way through thin majority. And then I'm under why the Commission doesn't invest in a close relationship with the Parliament, instead of a kind of show down of the European version of light culture, because that's what it is.

SOUNDBITE (English), Margaritis SCHINAS, Commissioner-designate, Protecting our European Way of Life, I understand that you trying to marry a certain negativity prejudging the work that I will be doing, whereas I&rsquo;m taking time to explain to you that I would never, never, see negativity being part of my job description. On the contrary. You are preaching to the converted when you discuss on the need for us to be the world champion of the quality gender parity climate, because already are by the way . We are already are world champions for this. So we need to assume this with a certain pride, and we need to defend it . And if you are preaching this to me, personally, and you&rsquo;re telling me to do it: I&rsquo;ve been building bridges for the last 30 years. That&rsquo;s what defines me. I have been building bridges, that was my job, to bring people together, and I'm confident that I can continue doing this.

SOUNDBITE (English), Magid MAGID (Greens/EFA, UK), Like you've said: Titles and words have meaning and carry weight. Insisting in keeping this title expresses the absolute arrogance of political backwardness of this entirely new Commission. There is only one way in which integration can be achieved, trough guaranteeing equal rights, adequate support, and a strong legal position for everyone living in the EU. Whether they are migrants, asylum seekers or refugees. Furthermore, we have long term resident non EU nationals obstructed for integration by labour market tests, including migrants and refugees. Are you willing to promote a true right of free movement starting from amending a long term residence directive.

SOUNDBITE (English), Margaritis SCHINAS, Commissioner-designate, Protecting our European Way of Life, I think that there is scope to review our long-term labour resident legislation which is in place, but which clearly needs a review and there is a review scheduled. Some of the early reviews of this legislation proves that indeed there are inconsistencies and gaps and I am very much willing to consider a legislative amendment of the long-term residents legislation precisely to address any obstacles that legally residing citizens people can have a chance to benefit from labour mobility across the EU.

SOUNDBITE (English), Margaritis SCHINAS, Commissioner-designate, Protecting our European Way of Life, I don't think that this work needs to be done from Brussels. It will be a huge mistake to let people think that Brussels knows better than everybody else approach. We should not promote inclusion as a top-down instrument from us to you. We have to listen to local communities, to regions, the municipalities, to people on the ground civil society and I pledge that you will see me a lot on the ground.

SOUNDBITE (French), Nicolas BAY (ID, FR), Concerning the mafia and the smugglers which are prospering in the North of African continent, which are making human threat in horrible conditions. There are NGO's which - as we know - are becoming accomplices with those mafias, with those smugglers.

SOUNDBITE (French), Margaritis SCHINAS, Commissioner-designate, Protecting our European Way of Life, I do not think NGOs are the problem of this phenomenon. Rather, they are part of the solution that must be sought. I repeat that we have to do it in a global way. One can not address these questions without having the intelligence to take care to see all the causes that feeds this phenomenon.