New Commissioner for Education and Culture faces hostile questions

In his mission letter from Jean Claude Juncker, Hungary’s Commissioner-to-be Tibor Navracsics was asked to help the Vice-President for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness put together an investment package for jobs and growth, with a focus on education infrastructure. He was also urged to reinforce the “knowledge triangle” between education, research and business, and to support the European Institute for Innovation and Technology (EIT) in Budapest.

But these important issues were of very little interest to the MEPs. During three hours they fiercely interrogated Navracsics over Hungary’s poor track record in defending freedom of speech and the rule of law. Only a handful of MEPs asked about issues relating to the new brief.

Navracsics did seize on the few opportunities he was given to stress the importance of education for growth and job creation and to call for all Member states to modernise their education systems. “Knowledge, expertise and advanced skills will lead to the revival of the EU’s job market and will increase EU’s economic competitiveness,” he told MEPs.

One of the most important goals is the modernisation of education systems in order to meet the targets set in the Europe 2020 strategy. “But this is a task for the member states,” said Navracsics. Of course, “the European Commission should play a role as well.”

“The return on investment in education is very high,” Navracsics said, asking MEPs to convince national governments to spend more on education. In particular he called for Member states to invest more in the teaching of entrepreneurship and digital skills.

Hungarian MEP András Gyürk asked Navracsics about his plans to drive the development of the EIT so it contributes more to competitiveness and economic growth. The Commission will work to bring academia, research and business around the same table, because research and innovation will help the EU to be more competitive, Navracsics responded. “So far, the work of the EIT has been excellent, but the institution needs further support and consolidation,” he said. He also praised the Joint Research Centre as being “the brain at the centre of our work”.

In his final statement, Navracsics told the meeting that he will continue the implementation and the consolidation of flagship education and research programmes such as Erasmus +, Creative Europe and the EIT.

Overall, the MEPs gave Navracsics a very hard time, as he was constantly forced to explain Hungary’s poor democratic track-record and the anti-EU statements of Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Navracsics had to repeat his commitment to the EU and democratic values numerous times.