Zware hoorzitting verwacht voor Neelie Kroes (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Members of the European Parliament have been sharpening their claws as the first of the more controversial Commissioner-designates is due to present her case today (28 September).

The Dutch nominee Neelie Kroes is set to be faced with tough questions this afternoon following concerns that her former business connections may lead to conflicts of interest for her new job in charge of competition - one of the most powerful portfolios in the European Commission.

In a bid to stave off criticism, Mrs Kroes has already resigned from numerous boards and published, along with the other commissioners, a declaration of her financial interests.

She has also promised not to rule in cases where her independence could be called into question - the Dutch woman has been involved with 12 company boards including Swedish engineering company Volvo, shipping company Royal P&O and Nedloyd and Thales, the defence company.

24 hearings

While some criticise her for being too close to the business community, others say that her past will give her a realistic grounding for her new job.

Mario Monti, who currently holds the job and has taken on the likes of Microsoft, has sometimes been accused of being too much of an academic.

Mrs Kroes' hearing will be the third of the 24 hearings over the coming two weeks. The Czech commissioner designate, Vladimir Spidla, gave a solid performance yesterday (27 September), while Polish nominee Danuta Hübner faces MEPs this morning.

Other commissioners who may cause a bit of a stir are the Danish Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel, accused of conflicts of interest, and the Italian Rocco Buttiglione, who has made controversial statements about setting up asylum camps outside Europe.

But although MEPs may give Mrs Kroes and her colleagues a hard time, they cannot veto single appointments. They can only veto the whole 25-member team - something which is unlikely to happen.

The Parliament's vote will take place at the end of October - just days before the new Commission starts on 1 November.