John Dalli's big day in the EP

You were present for John Dalli's hearing last week. How was it?

It was a privilege to be present for Mr Dalli's hearing and he certainly did us proud.There is no doubt that his performance was positive and that his candidature as commissioner-designate for Health and Consumer Affairs will garner the support of the European Parliament.

All five Maltese MEPs were present for Mr Dalli's hearing and supportive of his performance. But it was not just their presence that deserves mention. I can say that all of us, from both parties, did our best to support Mr Dalli in his preparations for the hearing. We introduced him to as many colleagues as possible before his big day and we paved the way for a smooth hearing.

In brief, Mr Dalli mustered all Maltese MEPs behind him and it was a show of national unity that sets a fine example.

Now let me give my reasons why I consider Mr Dalli's performance to be positive.

First of all, he was very well prepared and, despite the complexity of his dossier with issues ranging from cloning to nanotechnology and to GMOs, he acquitted himself admirably even on the most technical of questions.

Out of more than 60 questions put by more than 30 MEPs, it was only on one occasion that I heard him say that he was not sufficiently briefed to reply and needed to look deeper into the issue. To my mind, the frank way in which he did this increased, rather than decreased, his standing and credibility with the audience.

Second, he adopted an informal approach and replied in an off-the-cuff impromptu manner without reading and without referring to written text except in his introductory statement. Many other commissioners-designate cluttered their desks with dossiers and repeatedly fumbled through their notes along the way. Not Mr Dalli.

Thirdly, he did the wise thing and spoke in English, limiting himself to a brief intervention in Maltese in his opening statement but otherwise sticking to English. This was a clever choice because it meant that most of the MEPs needed no interpretation to understand him. By understanding his language, they remained focused and attentive; which is what this was all about.

Fourthly, he rose above the political fray by taking political positions that appeal to a wide political spectrum and not just to his own political family. Even on the delicate balance between the interests of patients and consumers on the one hand and the interests of industry on the other, he was remarkably clear, explaining how the industry's own interests were best served precisely by putting patients and consumers first.

These remarks earned him repeated applause from MEPs from across the political groups and, consequently, their support. I attended several other hearings but in none of them did I witness repeated applause; there must be something in that.

Fifthly, Mr Dalli had a good arsenal of one-liners that went down well with his audience. Quips like "patients first, consumers first" or "poor people should not have poor healthcare" and "I do not want to tell you what to eat but I want you to know what you are eating" delighted the audience and earned him kudos.

Sixthly, his approach was humble and at no point did he try to impose himself. At the same time, he exuded confidence and experience. True, he did tell us many times that he had 20 years of ministerial experience. But by the end of the hearing, he did not really need to remind us as his experience came shining through.

In the end, the positive assessment was evident from MEPs and the media alike.

Tellingly, one European news agency said that, with his performance, Mr Dalli "wrapped MEPs around his fingers" whereas another said that Mr Dalli had shown "his muscle".

Similarly, one MEP said that Mr Dalli was the "right man for the right job" whereas the chairman of the session, Jo Leinen, said that "he talked the way we wanted him, probably intentionally, but we now have it on record and he will be with us for five years. We will definitely remind him of the promises he made today".

Now that is precisely Mr Dalli's biggest next challenge.

I wish him well.

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