Environment Commissioner hearing: Greens offer cautious welcome to Potočnik

Following the European Parliament hearing of EU Environment Commissioner-designate Janez Potočnik, Finnish Green MEP and EU Parliament environment committee member Satu Hassi commented:
“It is a positive development to see the EU’s environmental challenges more in the spotlight than during the last set of Commissioner hearings five years ago. Several Commissioners-designate have done their best to convince MEPs of their green credentials.
Janez Potočnik has shown himself to be a promising candidate for Environment Commissioner. We welcome that he has committed to fully implement ‘REACH’ legislation on chemicals and to resist making changes to biodiversity legislation. We also welcome his willingness to look into better regulation of nanomaterials and his openness to setting targets for efficient use of natural resources.
Mr Potočnik has comfortably cleared the first hurdle presented by the European Parliament hearing. The real test of his worth as Environment Commissioner will come when he faces a fight on what he says he stands for.”