“Health preparedness actions and the overall resilience of health systems must be seen as an investment and not a cost,” writes Lahbib.

“I will spare no effort in defending the EU’s values and protecting the EU’s interest vis-a-vis systemic rivals,” Kallas said.

In his answers to MEPs, Fitto sought to dispel doubts about his nomination, reaffirming his commitment to European values and declaring himself a "firm supporter of the European project."

"The EU needs to accelerate, reduce red tape, and provide clarity and certainty for both businesses and consumers," said Séjourné.

“We can only win the competition for the decisive innovations of the future (…) on a European level," says Germany Economy Minister Habeck.

Documents recently made public reveal concerns over the Hungarian law's compatability with the EU's novel food regulation.

Suspected Russian-backed disinformation campaigns in Moldova and Georgia have raised questions on the EU's counternarrative.

A fight between the European Parliament's political factions has left the legislature unable to give its opinion on how the EU's 2025 budget should be spent.

The Cypriot nominee wants to "put an end to public subsidies that reinforce fishing capacity" through a new WTO agreement.

Much of the commissioners’ input could be boiled down to one term: ‘competitiveness’, trendy Brussels lingo for making Europe's ageing economy fit for the future.

"France’s strategy today is to try to capitalise on Hezbollah’s weakening to push for change. But the reality is that Paris lacks strong local support," David Khalfa tells Euractiv.

The Polish candidate also sought to reassure regional and local governments, currently worried about losing out from EU spending reforms.

“The US remains our number one trading partner, and I intend to further develop our bilateral relationship through dialogue as well as through an assertive defence of our interests,” said the seasoned Brussels insider.

“The jury is still out on how political he will be willing to be in his new role, especially as von der Leyen has taken a leading role [on migration].”

The European Parliament published written answers from the commissioners-designate ahead of the hearings and these are the key takeaways.

Henna Virkkunen hopes for a "real and swift change" in Big Tech platforms' practices.

Pillar II of Horizon Europe, the EIE, DIGITAL, or SMP are not mentioned in commissioner-designates' responses.

"It's about big tech giants versus small children's brains," Norwegian Prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre said.

In his letter Tzizikostas burnished his green credentials, stating that as a Greek regional governor he “promoted the transformation of urban mobility” and that Thessaloniki transport became “greener, smarter, more sustainable and affordable.”

McGrath's written answers to MEPs reveal details about his plans for the Digital Fairness Act and consumer protection.