The ratification of the Constitutional Treaty will be the main topic at Mrs Wallstöm's hearing. She will be invited to discuss the possibility that some Member States may face difficulties over ratification. Other questions will focus on the coherence of the different Council formations, enhanced co-operation and the idea of merging the role of the future President of the Council with that of the President of the Commission.

Parliamentary committee responsible: Constitutional Affairs

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WALLSTRÖM MP3

Among the issues for debate at Mr Verheugen's hearing will be how economic reform should be financed, the effects of a policy of national or even EU champions on competition policy, measures enivsaged by the Commission to create an attractive environment for SMEs and the proposed regulation on chemical policy (REACH), including its impact on the competitiveness of the EU chemicals industry.

Parliamentary committee responsible: Industry, Research and Energy

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VERHEUGEN MP3

Mr Barrot's hearing will look at broad transport policy objectives, including the goal of breaking the link between economic growth and transport growth. Policies to reduce traffic flows and shift traffic to rail and inland waterways are of special interest to MEPs, as is the impact of enlargement on EU transport policy. Other questions will be safety, including ways of cutting road deaths, and how to tackle the drift in merchant shipping towards flags of convenience.

Parliamentary committee responsible: Transport

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BARROT MP3

Topics for discussion at the hearing of Mr Kallas will include the accountability of Commissioners to Parliament, the need for greater accountability by Member States for their handling of EU funds, the desirability of an independent Commission accounting officer, the functioning of the anti-fraud office OLAF and the protection of whistleblowers.

Parliamentary committees responsible: Budgetary Control, Budgets

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KALLAS MP3

Ms Reding will be questioned on efforts to overcome the digital divide, the Europe action plan and fiscal, technical and other initiatives to strengthen Europe's information technology and communication industries. Other topics will be media pluralism and content, the revision of "the Television without Frontiers" directive and ways to boost the media industries in the Member States.

Parliamentary committees responsible: Industry, Research and Energy, Culture and Education

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REDING MP3

The hearing of Mr Dimas will look at his priorities for EU environment policy, the integration of environmental criteria in the Lisbon process and funding for EU environmental measures. More specific issues include how to enable Russia to ratify the Kyoto agreement and how to ensure that the overhaul of EU chemicals legislation (REACH) contributes to a safer environment.

Parliamentary committee responsible: Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

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DIMAS MP3

Mr Almunia will have to answer questions on the recent proposals for reform of the Stability Pact and how to improve co-ordination of economic policies. Questions on whether or how to stimulate growth in the euro zone as well working time in the context of ageing populations in Europe are also expected. Other topics will be the international role of the euro and the enlargement of the euro zone.

Parliamentary committee responsible: Economic and Monetary Affairs

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ALMUNIA MP3

Mrs Hübner will be questioned on different aspects of the reform of EU regional policy, in particular the financing of regional policy beyond 2007, the allocation of funding between the new and old Member States, the fate of regions who lose out due to the "statistical effect" and measures for remote regions and those with specific geographical difficulties.

Parliamentary committee responsible: Regional Development.

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HÜBNER MP3

MEPs will ask Mr Borg how he plans to reconcile the protection of threatened fish species with the socio-economic needs of fishermen. He will also be questioned about the future of the TAC and quota system and the newly created Fisheries Control Agency. Other issues include the role of Regional Advisory Councils, strengthening the EP's powers over international fisheries agreements and the exact nature of Mr Borg's powers in the field of "maritime affairs".

Parliamentary committee responsible: Fisheries

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BORG MP3

Ms Grybauskaite's hearing will focus on issues relating to the EU's next financial perspective, notably the proposals formulated by the outgoing Commission, the articles on budgetary matters in the Constitutional Treaty and the revision of the system of own resources.

Parliamentary committees responsible: Budgets, Budgetary Control

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GRYBAUSKAITE MP3

Mr Potocnik will be asked whether the Commission backs Parliament's proposal for a 30 billion euro budget for Framework index 7 (FP7) in the face of possible opposition from Member States. Other issues are the level of support to be proposed within FP7 for smaller or weaker research teams (mostly from small or new Member States or candidate countries), the scope of a European Security Research index (ESRP) and how much funding an ESRP should receive.

Parliamentary committee responsible: Industry, Research and Energy

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POTOCNIK MP3

Mr Figel will discuss the implementation of the Lisbon process in areas relating to education and training, especially the role of Parliament, EU information strategy for culture and education and future budget funding. Other topics will include European Capitals of Culture, mutual recognition of qualifications, education through sport and healthy sporting environments for athletes.

Parliamentary committees responsible: Culture and Education, Employment and Social Affairs

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Figel MP3

Mr Kyprianou will give his views on the main public health and food safety issues facing the EU, the level of budget funding allocated to these areas and the relationship between the Commission and specialised EU food safety and health agencies. Other issues include the REACH chemicals legislation, the fight against smoking, food labelling and GMOs. This hearing also deals with consumer protection.

Parliamentary committees responsible: Environment, Public Health and Food Safety; Internal Market and Consumer Protection

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KYPRIANOU MP3

Mr Rehn's relations with the High Representative - the EU foreign minister to be - and the intergovernmental nature of the EU's foreign policy are among key issues in this hearing. Other questions will look at stability in the Balkans, the Commission's ability to resist political pressure in its report on Turkey, the relative performances of Bulgaria and Romania, any future candidate countries and the Commission's role in the reunification of Cyprus.

Parliamentary committee responsible: Foreign Affairs

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REHN MP3

Louis MICHEL - Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid (Belgium)

Mr Michel's hearing will focus on the consistency of development policy with the EU's foreign and commercial policy as a whole. The European added value in development co-operation compared to national policies will also be raised. Finally, Mr Michel will be questioned on guaranteeing the neutrality of humanitarian aid, given that humanitarian workers are increasingly the target of attacks.

Parliamentary committee responsible: Development

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MICHEL MP3

Mr Kovács faces a new hearing as he was first given the Energy portfolio but is now scheduled to take over Taxation. Tax competition and VAT fraud will be the main issues at this hearing. On customs, Mr Kovács will be quizzed about the fight against counterfeit products and the revision of the Community customs code.

Parliamentary committees: Economic and Monetary Affairs; Internal Market and Consumer Protection

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Mr Kovács faces questions on the impact of growing world energy consumption on the environment and energy resources, the security of energy supplies in an enlarged EU, the promotion of renewable energy sources and implementation of the emissions trading system. Other questions deal with nuclear safety standards and the liberalised energy market.

Parliamentary committee responsible: Industry, Research and Energy

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KOVÁCS MP3

Ms Kroes will be asked to comment broadly on merger control and state aid policy and more specifically on recent reforms of antitrust procedures. Competition issues in a future legal framework for services of general interest will also be discussed.

Parliamentary committee responsible: Economic and Monetary Affairs

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KROES MP3

Ms Fischer Boel will answer questions about implementation of the CAP reform, including the balance to be struck between boosting production and favouring rural development, the defence of EU products in WTO negotiations and how CAP reform can be carried through with the limited funds planned under the next financial perspective, especially if countries such as Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia join the EU.

Parliamentary committee responsible: Agriculture

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FISCHER BOEL MP3

MEPs will ask Ms Ferrero-Waldner about her vision of EU external policy, including her relations with the future EU foreign minister and the Constitutional Treaty's provisions on CFSP/ESDP. Other issues will be the EU's approach to the global fight against terrorism, human rights and the challenges of crisis management. This hearing will also touch on Europe's relations with different parts of the world and its role in the reconstruction of Iraq.

Parliamentary committees responsible: Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Security and Defence, Subcommittee on Human Rights

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FERRERO-WALDNER MP3

Mr McCreevy will be asked about his preferred strategy for advancing the internal market over the period 2003-2006, especially the issue of harmonisation versus mutual recognition. Other questions will focus on his priorities for financial services and and the impact of the regulatory burden on industry. The Lamfalussy process for financial services legislation, especially Parliament's powers under the new EU Constitution, will also be discussed.

Parliamentary committees responsible: Internal Market and Consumer Protection; Economic and Monetary Affairs

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Charlie McCREEVY MP3

Mr Špidla will give his position on the implementation of the Lisbon objectives and will set out his vision of the social policy agenda post-2006. MEPs will also want to hear his proposals for dealing with broad challenges such as the high levels of unemployment in Europe and the ageing population, as well as his opinion on the progress of specific legislation such as the working time directive.

Parliamentary committees responsible: Employment and Social Affairs, Women's Rights and Gender Equality

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Spidla MP3

Mr Mandelson will be questioned on co-operation with the European Parliament on trade matters as well as reform of the WTO and trade relations with third countries and regional groups. Other questions will focus on legally binding world-wide quality standards for food and animal feed, GMOs, hormones, animal welfare and the environment.

Parliamentary committee responsible: International Trade

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MANDELSON MP3

The main topics at the hearing of Mr Piebalgs, who takes over from Mr Kovács as Commissioner-designate for Energy, will be the growth in energy consumption, the impact of the latter on the environment and energy supplies - at a time when the Kyoto targets look difficult to achieve.

Parliamentary committee: Industry, Research and Energy

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Mr Buttiglione faces questions about strengthening respect for democracy and fundamental rights and action by the Commission to combat racism, antisemitism and discrimination. Measures to fight terrorism and organised crime will also be discussed, along with immigration and asylum policy. Mr Buttiglione has recently backed proposals to keep asylum seekers in transit camps outside EU borders - a proposal opposed by Parliament last year.

Parliamentary committees responsible: LIBE

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BUTTIGLIONE MP3

Simplification of EU legislation and ensuring Member States implement it; mutual recognition of civil and commercial legal systems and their procedures; reinforcement of the rights to a fair defence; the prerogatives of the European Parliament - these will all be subjects for the second hearing of Mr Buttiglione, which will follow that held on 5th October by the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.

Parliamentary Committee responsible: Legal Affairs

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BUTTIGLIONE MP3

The linked issues of tax competition and tax harmonisation within the EU will be a central part of Ms Udre's hearing. She may well be asked for her views on linking company tax levels and EU structural aid. MEPs also want to know if she would welcome closer co-operation on taxation between a few Member States. In the area of customs, the Commissioner will be questioned about the fight against counterfeiting.

Parliamentary committees responsible: Economic and Monetary Affairs, Internal Market and Consumer Protection

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UDRE MP3