The designated Vice-President of the European Commission for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera, defended her actions during the management of the storm in a tumultuous parliamentary hearing. The European People's Party (EPP) managed to postpone the evaluation of Ribera and five other candidates for vice-presidencies of the Commission until next week.
During the hearing, Ribera was questioned by members of the PP and the Vox party, who held her responsible for the crisis in Valencia. Deputies from different European countries joined the questions regarding the management of the tragedy, which sparked an intense debate.
Ribera defended the timely issuance of alerts and criticized the lack of effective measures to protect the population during the storm. Amid the criticisms, she pointed out the importance of strengthening EU tools to prevent the concentration of power in large digital companies. She also advocated updating the guidelines on the state aid allowed for housing.
In response to the accusations from the PP, Ribera emphasized the need to combine the approach of the internal market and competition. She stressed the importance of addressing climate change and modernizing Competition policies to support business growth in global markets.
During the hearing, there was discussion about the evaluation of Ribera and other candidates, as well as controversial topics such as the rule of law in Spain and the protection of farmers. Ribera advocated for the European nature restoration law and responded to the climate change denialist MEPs.
