Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg was yesterday appointed European Commissioner-designate for Health and Consumer Affairs.

It is the same portfolio as that held by John Dalli before he was forced to resign last week.

Malta’s nomination of Dr Borg as Mr Dalli’s replacement was officially accepted by European Commission President José Manuel Barroso.

The announcement was made following a meeting between the two at the Berlaymont, the Commission’s headquarters in Brussels.

The Commission President’s decision will now kick-start the process through which Dr Borg will pass before taking up his seat at the College of Commissioners.

He will be grilled by one or more committees within the European Parliament, which would be seeking to assess the suitability and competence of Dr Borg for the post.

EP sources yesterday told The Times the hearing is expected to take place in the first week of December, although no decision has yet been taken by the Conference of Presidents, the Parliament’s decision-making body.

Dr Borg expressed his eagerness to complete the process as soon as possible and said he was grateful for the confidence expressed in him by Mr Barroso.

“I also look forward to starting my preparations and to working closely with my colleagues at the European Parliament. I think that close contact with MEPs is crucial for the Commission to produce the best legislation possible for European citizens,” he told The Times.

Dr Borg has already been assigned an office and a number of officials to start his prepara-tory work.

He said he would soon be meeting MEPs to discuss his plans for the health and consumer affairs sector while his presence in Brussels will become more frequent in the coming weeks.

If approved, Dr Borg will serve as Commissioner until the end of the term of the Barroso II Commission – October 2014.

The nomination of Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg as John Dalli’s replacement was yesterday accepted by the President of the European Commission. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi