Updated 8:05pm
Glenn Micallef was approved by MEPs to serve as European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport on Monday, following a relatively uneventful three-hour European Parliament grilling.
Coordinators from the parliament's various groupings wasted little time in approving Micallef's nomination, with sources confirming he received the all-clear just hours after he finished answering questions.
While Micallef sailed through the hearing, he will have to wait before being sworn in as a commissioner: all commissioners-designate must be approved as one bloc before the team can assume office.
Hearings, which began on Monday, will run until November 12.
Prime Minister Robert Abela and Malta's outgoing commissioner, Helena Dalli, were both quick to congratulate Micallef and wish him well.
Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Abela said he wished him "great success in shaping a vibrant and inclusive future for Europe", while Dalli said she hoped for five years of "impactful achievements to EU citizens."
Micallef answered MEP questions about a raft of topics, from screentime for young people to cyberbullying, equal pay for female and male athletes and transgender controversy in sports.
His replies stuck firmly to EU policy initiatives and were thin on specifics, irritating some MEPs but also ensuring he steered clear of political landmines that could blow up his nomination.
There was an immediate sense that Micallef had performed well, though he himself was reluctant to say so.
“It was a constructive discussion. Now let's wait and see the outcome," Micallef said in brief comments immediately after the hearing.
Labour MEP Alex Agius Saliba was more loquacious.
“My sense is that things went very well,” he said. “"I think the replies were satisfactory to the majority of groupings.”
CULT chair Nela Riehl, who presided over the hearing, said she did not see any particular stumbling blocks for Micallef, though she acknowledged some of Micallef’s answers were somewhat vague.
“But I don’t think I’ve sensed any crucial no-go within the answers,” she added.
David Casa and Peter Agius, Maltese MEPs who form part of the EPP grouping, both said immediate reactions to Micallef’s grilling were positive.
Leaning into youth
Micallef, who at 35 is the youngest commissioner-designate in von der Leyen’s team, kicked off proceedings by telling MEPs that he was once a parliament intern. And he leaned into his youth throughout, placing significant emphasis on the need to give young people a voice in EU decision-making while noting with concern that young people are increasingly not bothering to vote.
He told MEPs that he had a clear commitment from von der Leyen to strengthen Erasmus+, the EU’s flagship youth, education and sports training programme.
Many of his replies, however, were more general in scope.
When asked about gender pay gaps in sports and attempts to set up breakaway competitions like the football Super League, Micallef said that while sporting bodies were autonomous, they were also obliged to respect EU laws. And when some MEPs pushed him on his stance concerning transgender athletes, Micallef again pointed to the autonomy of sporting bodies but emphasised the “non-negotiable” nature of respecting EU values like equality.
“Sport is for everyone, no matter the identity or gender,” he said in response to a question from a European Conservatives and Reformists MEP. That prompted applause from left-leaning MEPs in the room.
Micallef chose to speak in English throughout the grilling, though he switched to Maltese when an Italian MEP asked him about EU efforts to protect and promote language diversity.
The EU has a duty to protect multilinguism, he said, and it has the tools to do it.
He highlighted Commission plans to introduce a cyberbullying strategy and a commitment to hold an inquiry on the impacts of social media, saying he has “no doubt in my mind” about the detrimental impact excessive screentime is having on children.
And as the hearing drew to a close, Micallef recounted an anecdote from a meeting with young people who were given an explanation about the EU’s strategy for children.
“There was a boy from Cyprus who, after hearing this presentation, told the officials delivering it: ‘This was well said, but I prefer well done’. Our focus must be on implementation,” he said to nods in the room.
As it happened
Live blog ends
6.40pm Coordinators from the various political groupings are now meeting to decide Micallef's fate. But they'll have until tomorrow afternoon to deliver a final verdict.
We don't have that long, so this blog will end here. We will have a roundup of the key parts of today's hearing available at the top of this blog shortly.
Thank you for having joined us.
David Casa: Micallef spoke well
6.23pm David Casa (PN/EPP) also believes Micallef did well overall.
"He spoke well about the rule of law, and about governance and his portfolio,” Casa told us. He said his colleagues in the CULT committee had reacted positively to the hearing.
"When I met Micallef I said he should not defend the indefensible, and that he should protect the EU treaties,” Casa said.
Peter Agius: Micallef left a good impression
6.14pm PN (EPP) MEP Peter Agius says Micallef “left a good impression”.
“He placed a lot of emphasis on young people, and a Maltese commissioner can use this position to better understand how we can use Europe to provide our youths with opportunities that geography usually insulates them from,” Agius said.
That said, Agius believes Malta’s sullied name in Europe will make life difficult for Micallef.
“He needs to do a lot of work to restore respect and influence for Malta in Europe. He’ll have to be a commissioner for Malta in Europe, not a commissioner for the government,” Agius said.
Committee chair sees no major issues
6.02pm Committee chair and German MEP Nela Riehl (Greens) says she does not see any major issues with Micallef’s nominations, though she emphasised that it would be up to the political group coordinators to make a final decision.
“Micallef emphasised on Erasmus+ and also committed to youth mainstreaming and diversity – that’s something we as CULT committee are very happy about,” she said.
Riehl acknowledged that some of Micallef’s replies were somewhat vague, but added “I don’t think I’ve sensed any crucial no-go within the answers.”
Micallef: 'A constructive discussion'
5.48pm We got a few words out of commissioner-designate Micallef as he exited. He's keeping his cards close to his chest.
"It was a constructive discussion. Now let's wait and see the outcome," he told us.
Agius Saliba: 'Reactions were positive'
5.45pm Maltese MEP Agius Saliba is optimistic.
"It was a very good hearing," he told Daniel Ellul. "I think the replies were satisfactory to the majority of groupings. My sense is that things went very well. There was a strong focus on protecting minors in the digital world, and I think Micallef answered well."
A solid showing from Micallef
5.31pm It was an uneventful afternoon for the commissioner-designate, who should, barring any backroom political disasters, get the all-clear to join Ursula von der Leyen’s team.
Micallef stuck firmly to policy in his replies, made extensive reference to his brief and EU policy initiatives in the sector, and dodged the (literally) couple of questions that could have potentially tripped him up.
Some MEPs made it clear they wanted more specifics, but they weren't getting them.
Malta only featured directly in one question, concerning its failure to sign a Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions. And Micallef just replied by saying he was here as commissioner for all countries, not Malta.
The highlights: Micallef switching to Maltese to answer a question about linguistic diversity, and half the room applauding him saying that “sport is for everyone, no matter the identity or gender".
What now?
5.33pm “I hope have earned your trust,” Micallef tells MEPs. “It would be a great honour and a privilege to work with you in the years to come”.
Micallef gets a round of applause, and is then free to go.
In a couple of minutes, the committee chair will speak to the journalists and give some first impressions of Micallef's grilling.
The chair and heads of all political groupings will then have a brief meeting, and have 24 hours to decide whether to approve or reject his nomination.
To get the green light, Micallef will need to secure the approval of a two-thirds majority of political groupings. Votes are weighted by the size of political groupings.
No more questions
5.29pm Having answered a final volley of questions, Micallef proceeds to his closing statement.
He begins by buttering up his adjudicators.
“This is European democracy at its best,” he tells the MEPs.
Hats off to the hearing chair, who ruled that microphone and its time limits with an iron grip. We’re bang on time.
Stacks of papers
5.24pm Micallef recalls, as a student, spending nights to print “stacks of paper” to submit final applications for the EU’s Youth in Action mobility programme. It’s an anecdote about the need to simplify EU processes. And he says the ‘culture compass’ – there it is again – is the key to getting that done.
'We will strengthen Erasmus'
5.12pm Micallef reassures MEPs that “we will strengthen Erasmus+”. “This is a programme that is envied by global partners,” he says, noting that everyone in the room has either been an Erasmus student or knows someone who has.
The home stretch
5.08pm Micallef is in the home stretch now, and his body language and replies – more relaxed and confident - show that he knows it, too. He even takes a sip of whatever drink has been served to him.
Tepid at best
5.05pm A server refreshes Micallef’s hot drink, which has remained untouched since he took his seat at around 2.30pm.
Round 3
5.04pm A representative of the EMPL committee wants ‘clear and concrete commitments and examples’ of laws Micallef will propose as Commissioner. It has not been ‘fully satisfied’ by his replies so far, the representative says.
Micallef’s reply arguably betrays the weak legislative power of his portfolio, which does not feature sectors that the EU has any power to impose laws on member states: We need to listen to everyone and intergenerational fairness will require a cross-commission approach, he says.
Prize money for women
5.01pm Italian MEP Carolina Morace asks about prize money differences between men and women’s sporting competitions. Pub quiz facts: Morace, a lawyer by profession, was formerly a footballer and manager. She played for the Italian national team and was the first person to score a hattrick in the women’s world cup (against Taiwan in 1991).
Micallef says sporting bodies enjoy autonomy, but that is not absolute: they must respect EU law.
That white-hating EU
4.54pm German MEP Marc Jongen, who earlier railed about Spanish teens being taught about crossdressing and transgenderism, gets another crack at the whip. Will Micallef encourage “political activities against white people”, he asks before he runs out of time.
Micallef's reply is diplomatic. 'Equality' comes in all its forms, he says, and that's something the EU will not compromise on.
What is 'intergenerational fairness'?
4.51pm Every now and then, EU policymakers come up with phrases that are intended to paint a big picture but rarely end up making it out of Brussels or Strasbourg.
‘Intergenerational fairness’ seems to be one of those, and in fact it’s rarely been mentioned throughout this hearing, despite being the first thing in Micallef’s designated portfolio.
Micallef has now had the opportunity to define the phrase, as he sees it: “The way I view intergenerational fairness is about ensuring everyone in our society has a voice,” he says. It’s about ensuring generations do not blame each other for problems.
Malta and match-fixing
4.44pm Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski (EPP) notes that Malta is blocking the EU from joining the only instrument in international law to fight match-fixing – the Macolin Convention. What can he do to get Malta to embrace it?
Micallef immediately says he’s here to represent all EU member states, not any particular country (read: Malta).
(Malta has been blocking the Macolin Convention because of its definition of “illegal sports betting” goes beyond its scope and fears it could impact its gaming sector.)
Harmful screentime
4.32pm Micallef says he has “no doubt in my mind” about the harmful effects of excessive screen time on children and young people.
The EU will be leading an inquiry on the broader impacts of social media, he says, and that – along with his mandate to draft a cyberbullying strategy – will be taking up a lot of his time, he says.
Transgender women in sport
4.27pm A question about transgender women in sport: Croatian MP Stephen Nikola Bartulica, from the ECR group, asked about Micallef's position on "men participating in women's sports". Remember the boxing controversy throughout the Paris Olympics.
Micallef said that those decisions should be left to the sporting organisations that decide independently on the issue.
He then added: "Sport is for everyone no matter the identity or gender". That brought the room to life, with a short bout of applause from one part of the room.
EU sports must respect competition law
4.23pm A clear question: How can the EU ensure grassroots sport clubs benefit from the millions made at the top? And what does Micallef make of ECJ judgments about European sports, notably the football Super League project?
Micallef says European sporting bodies must comply with EU competition law – this is non-negotiable, he says. And the EU will have to see if it needs to regulate sports given the way countries are investing directly in sports.
What are insiders saying?
4.10pm Our journalist Daniel Ellul has been speaking to MEPs and parliament insiders throughout the grilling. They say things are going well.
"Micallef was visibly nervous at first, but he has grown in confidence with every question," one said. That's been my impression, too.
Another source said: "He's doing fine, but Micallef is being vague and making very few commitments. He has been very general in most of his answers and preferring to express his willingness to work with the other Commissioners for culture to be impactful and more strategic".
"Saying that he will insist on increasing funds dedicated to culture through the new Multiannual Financial Framework will help him when the committee is discussing his appointment."
Ngħidu iva
4.02pm Young people are not bothering to vote, Micallef acknowledges, and the result is policies that might not take young people’s views into account.
We need another generation of champions for the EU, he says, recalling the young people in Malta who pushed the country to EU accession.
Cyberbullying, AI
3.58pm Micallef is asked about cyberbullying, and he seems especially confident talking about the topic and how the European Commission intends to tackle the issue.
He’s then asked about protecting creative sectors from the threats of AI. He says he wants to see more transparency from AI players and work to collaborate with creative sectors.
Micallef is coasting
3.50pm We’re more than an hour into the grilling, and so far it’s been a pretty smooth ride for Micallef.
Plenty of questions about EU policymaking (exactly the sort of thing he’s comfortable answering), lots of sombre nodding and nothing that seems to have caught him off-guard.
Children and sexual consent
3.46pm A question out of left field: talking about children giving sexual consent is effectively tantamount to “paedophilia”, Malika Sorel says. Will he do something to put a stop to such efforts?
Micallef says protecting children is something that cannot be taken lightly. The Commission intends to build on the work of Malta’s outgoing commissioner, Helena Dalli, he says.
Sports as a tool
3.42pm Micallef tells MEPs sports needs to be promoted in various other sectors – education, for instance. Sport needs to be used as a tool to deliver on key challenges the EU faces, he says.
“If there’s one family member who practices sport, you can reach the whole family by getting through to that person,” Micallef says.
Round two
3.35pm And now we’re onto the second round of questions. MEPs will have one minute to ask questions, with no follow up.
Gender 'nonsense'
3.32pm A representative of the European Left, MEP Nikos Pappas, says he’s pleased to see a nominee “from my generation”.
And then a representative of the Europe of Sovereign Nations Group says Erasmus is being used to “act against the interests of science” with “nonsense” like gender studies. Will Micallef slam the brakes on such ideological projects, he asks?
Micallef says Erasmus will get more, not fewer resources. EU values like equality and solidarity are “non negotiable”, he says.
A Maltese flourish
3.22pm The Greens ask him about multilingualism, and Micallef takes that as an opportunity to reply in Maltese.
He emphasises the importance of language diversity and says that must be a key consideration when negotiations on the next EU MFF (i.e. multi-year budget) begin next year. The EU has a duty to preserve language diversity and the tools to do it, he says.
That Olympics opening ceremony controversy
3.15pm A representative from the European Conservatives and Reformists Group recalls the controversy surrounding the Olympics opening ceremony.
Micallef says the European model of sport allows sporting bodies to act autonomously, as they see fit.
An EP grilling drinking game
3.12pm Take a shot every time the words ‘culture compass’ are mentioned. You'll end up floored before 4pm.
Tit-for-tat
3.09pm The first thorny question comes from the right-wing Patriots for Europe: will Micallef install “anti-democratic firewalls” if confirmed? And why should Europeans pay copyright rights to US artists, if the US does not reciprocate?
Micallef: I believe in dialogue, but we are a union that is guided by values that are in our treaties. As commissioners, I will ensure we stand up to protect our values. Regarding copyright, Micallef says he’s aware of the issue. Europe needs to be "more strategic" in the cultural sector, he says.
'Artists deserve a decent living'
3.03pm Micallef to an S&D question: Artists should be able to focus on being creative and not worry about earning a decent living. He cites atypical, poor working conditions and seasonality as particular challenges for the sector.
Questioning begins
2.56pm Zoltan Tarr (EPP) kicks off the questioning. The first question is about promoting cultural diversity and solidarity, given the rise of populism. Micallef: We need to give youths greater freedom and a bigger voice in decision-making. All commission proposals will be assessed for their impacts on youths, he says.
Micallef’s first reply betrays some nerves (hard to blame him, this is his first such rodeo), but he sounds more confident when replying to a follow-up question.
Micallef's statement
2.52pm Micallef recalls the start of his career, as an intern at the European Parliament. He notes his background within youth, culture and sport organisations and presents his priorities for the portfolio, if he is to be confirmed as commissioner.
His statement touches on his role in devising a strategy for intergenerational fairness, combating child poverty, the challenges of Artificial Intelligence and his pledge to deliver what the EU is calling a ‘culture compass’.
There’s talk of using sport to promote peace and reduce obesity, and a promise to work with MEPs to find the most effective way of funding Erasmus+ and other such EU programmes.
A full house
2.39pm The meeting room one of the larger hemicycles in the EP building is almost full of committee members, aides, media and members of committees related to Micallef's portfolio, Daniel Ellul tells me.
Maltese PN MEP David Casa and PL MEP Alex Agius Saliba are also in the room.
Micallef's written replies
2.33pm Micallef's big day is today, but the prelude has been playing out for weeks. Part of that run-up involved him providing written replies to MEP questions.
You can read his replies in the PDF we're attaching below, if you're the sort of policy wonk who enjoys that sort of thing.
Attached files
Hearing to start
2.32pm Micallef is in the room, and the hearing is about to begin.
Bis-Serjeta' has some fun
2.16pm Satirical page Bis-Serjeta’ pokes fun at Micallef’s relatively young age (as well as his relationship with his former boss and mentor, Robert Abela).
At 35, Micallef is the youngest commissioner-designate in von der Leyen’s team.
A little promo clip
2.10pm The European Parliament has put out a little clip of commissioners-designate at work, preparing for their hearings. They're a little contrived and staged, but here's Micallef's. He can be seen with the head of his transition team, David Ciliberti, and Ambassador Clint Tanti.
How will the hearing play out?
2.05pm Micallef will get 15 minutes to make an opening statement to MEPs. Then the questioning will begin.
The grilling itself will play out in three rounds.
Round 1: Eight MEPs (the coordinators of each political grouping within CULT) will get a minute to ask Micallef a question. He will have two minutes to reply, then the MEP will get a minute for a follow-up question. Micallef will have one minute to respond to each of those.
Round 2: Other CULT members (27 of them, to be exact) will get one minute each to ask Micallef a question. He will get two minutes to reply to each.
Round 3: A representative from each of three other EP committees (LIBE, EMPL, JURI) invited to the hearing will get one minute to question Micallef, who will, again get two minutes to reply.
At the end of the hearing, Micallef will get five minutes for some concluding remarks. And then he’ll be able to breathe a sigh of relief, get out of there and hope for the best.
More from the leading MEPs
1.49pm Heide (S&D) said Micallef had left a "very good impression" on him.
“He is young, he is willing to engage, he is present and is going out of his way to listen and I think he is the perfect man for the job," he told us.
Heide said there is no particular political baggage "that comes to mind" which could hinder his chances.
Hannes Heide. Photo: Matthew MirabelliTarr (EPP) was less effusive, as is to be expected. But he too said he thinks things will move without a hitch.
Tarr predicted some rule of law-related questions for Micallef, because "he is Maltese". Media freedom - part of Micallef's designated portfolio - is also likely to be mentioned, he said.
Reminder: the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) has been approved but has yet to be implemented.
Tarr also said that Micallef will be asked about his opinions on Erasmus+, its programmes, and its funding.
Zoltan Tarr. Photo: Matthew MirabelliOptimism for the Maltese commissioner-designate
1.41pm When we spoke to EU officials past and present about Micallef's prospects roughly six weeks ago, reactions were mixed. Some thought he was well-placed to be confirmed on Ursula von der Leyen's team, but others predicted he'd be minced by the Brussels meatgrinder.
There seems to be a lot more optimism about his chances now, though.
Daniel Ellul spoke to the CULT (Committee for Education and Education) coordinators for the parliament's two biggest political groupings, the S&Ds and EPP.
Both said they don't forsee any problems for Micallef.
S&D Austrian MEP Hannes Heide said Micallef was the “perfect man” for the role, while his EPP counterpart, Hungarian MEP Zoltan Tarr, said the group is “expecting that the hearing will go smoothly.”
Welcome
1.30pm Good afternoon and welcome to this live blog, where we will be providing a blow-by-blow account of Glenn Micallef's MEP hearing, which is scheduled to begin at 2.30pm.
Daniel Ellul is our man in Brussels for the event.