BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Parliament’s environment committee approved on Wednesday the appointment of Dutchman Wopke Hoekstra as European commissioner for climate action, its president, Pascal Canfin, announced.
Wopke Hoekstra, a Christian Democrat, as well as Slovakia’s Maros Sefcovic, a Social Democrat proposed to coordinate the European “green deal”, obtained at least two thirds of the votes of the commission members, Pascal Canfin said on the platform -form X (ex-Twitter).
The two candidates were heard at length on Monday, without convincing the deputies, who asked them for additional assurances on the future of certain measures in favor of the environment promised by the Commission, which they fear will see abandoned at the end of the year. he approach of the European elections of June 2024, under pressure from the conservatives and the far right.
“Their answers to our questions were judged positively: clarity on the 2040 climate objectives, clarity on current legislation: the Green Deal is on track,” declared Pascal Canfin on X.
The appointment of the two officials must still be confirmed by Parliament in plenary session during a vote on Thursday, a likely outcome according to several MEPs, given the green light from the committee.
(Kate Abnett, Jean-Stéphane Brosse)
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