At the time of our last EU update, the Commissioners-designate hearings had just been set for 4 to 12 November. Now, after discussions, a detailed schedule has been released outlining when and where each Commissioner-designate will present before the respective committees. Below, you will find an image created by the European Parliament Research Service, showing the hearing dates of the different candidates’ hearings, and which will be the committees that will host them, along with a briefing about all the candidate profiles and priorities.  

For the initiatives related to social services and disability, the most relevant candidates are Mînzatu and Lahbib. Mînzatu will oversee social inclusion, employment, and education, while Lahbib will handle equality, including implementing the Strategy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, along with crisis management. In parallel, Raffaele Fitto if confirmed, will oversee cohesion and reforms, overseeing the planning and implementation of key EU funds. 

All candidates recieved written questions prepared by various Parliament committees, and have published their responses. In Mînzatu’s answers, she identified social rights, employment, social dialogue, and education as core priorities. However, persons with disabilities were mentioned only once. They were included as one of the target groups of the future EU Anti-Poverty Strategy, which will also address access to quality affordable care for families, and quality jobs for the care workforce. She also highlighted gaps in access to social and essential services as a root cause of poverty and social exclusion, which also according Lahbib's letter, will be one of the focus areas of the Strategy. 

Another key point from Mînzatu is her commitment to contributing to the European Affordable Housing Plan, ensuring it includes “a robust social component that caters the needs of the most vulnerable.” She also vowed to strengthen the Child Guarantee, starting from the Commission report on its implementation, expected in 2026.  

Lahbib’s responses focused more on disability issues, including her prioritisation of closing remaining gaps and contributing to a barrier-free Europe for persons with disabilities. She also pledged to take measures against hate speech and reopen negotiations on the Equal Treatment Directive, aiming to combat discrimination based on religion or belief, disability, age, or sexual orientation. Additionally, Lahbib emphasised the Commission's ongoing work on the 2021-2030 Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ensuring its objectives are updated and prioritise key areas such as employment, independent living, accessibility, and disability mainstreaming. Her other commitments include supporting the implementation of the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card.  

Raffaele Fitto, the candidate responsible for cohesion and reforms, was asked about the use of EU funds for deinstitutionalisation by the Parliament Committee on Employment and Social Inclusion. He committed to “enhancing accessibility and services to persons with disabilities” and to making independent living and community inclusion a reality, with EU funds playing a key role in supporting deinstitutionalisation efforts. 

Meanwhile, the EU institutions have remained busy, hosting two Parliament plenary sessions and a European Council meeting. The first plenary took place from 7-10 October, followed by the Council meeting on 17 October. A second plenary session started on Monday 21 October and is concluding today. Foreign policy has been at the forefront of discussions, including issues related to Ukraine, the Middle East, relations with Moldova and Georgia, as well as competitiveness and migration. 

Looking ahead, the European Commission is expected to unveil its proposal for the next seven-year EU budget in June. However, early leaked drafts have sparked concerns, suggesting that health, research, digital and space could be merged into a single European Competitiveness Fund to boost the EU's strategic autonomy. According to the same leak, the current cohesion policy funds could be merged with home affairs and common agricultural policy. This proposal, under discussion since January, aims to focus on broader policies, potentially at the expense of specific programmes. EASPD and other organisations representing social services are actively advocating for a solid funding for social services. We will keep you informed about the future developments.