How are European Commissioners selected?

The selection of European Commissioners is a structured process that occurs every five years, following elections to the European Parliament.1

The procedure involves several key steps:

• Selection of the President: The European Council, composed of the heads of state or government of EU member countries, selects a candidate for the president of the European Commission, who must then be approved by the Parliament.12
• Nomination of Commissioners: The commission president-designate, in consultation with the governments of the member states, chooses the other members of the Commission. Each member state nominates a citizen for the role.1
• Parliamentary Review: Once the team is assembled, the new Parliament interviews each nominee and provides its opinion on the Commission as a body. The Commission officially begins its work only after receiving parliamentary approval.1

While commissioners are nominated by their respective national governments, they are required to act independently and are strictly forbidden from taking instructions from their home countries, as they represent the interests of the European Union as a whole.1