The Culture and Education and Industry, Research and Energy committees questioned Mariya Gabriel, candidate for Innovation and Youth.
Political groups’ coordinators from the committees will meet within 24 hours to assess the performance of Commissioner-designate Gabriel.
Creating synergies and opportunities for youth
During her introductory speech, Mariya Gabriel highlighted the importance of creating a European space of research, innovation, education, culture and sport and synergies between programmes in order to live up to Europeans expectations not least the young in terms of creating sustainable development and opportunities for young people.
The two committees were critical of the lack of reference to culture and research in the name of the Commissioner’s portfolio.
Members of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy underlined the necessity of an ambitious budget for the forthcoming Horizon Europe research programme in line with the EP’s position and of involving the EP in its implementation.
MEPs from the Culture and Education Committee put forward questions on the budget of the Erasmus+ programme, calling on the Commissioner-designate to support the tripling of the budget. They also wanted to know how digitalisation can be useful for European heritage as well as how to best protect and guarantee access to culture and education for all cultural and language communities in Europe. Further questions underlined the necessity to promote audiovisual media from a cultural perspective.
