Partial renewal of the European Court of Auditors (2022) - NL nominee

The European Parliament decided by 414 votes to 112, with 57 abstentions, to give a favourable opinion on the Council's proposal to appoint Stephanus Abraham Blok (NL) as a Member of the Court of Auditors.

Stephanus Abraham Blok is a member of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). He was Minister of Foreign and European Affairs from 2018 to 2021 and Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy from May 2021 to January 2022.

The Committee on Budgetary Control evaluated the proposed candidate’s credentials, in particular with regard to the conditions set out in Article 286(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. As part of this assessment, the committee received a curriculum vitae from the candidate as well as his replies to the written questionnaire sent to him.

The committee then held a hearing with the candidate on 15 June 2022, during which he made an opening statement and then answered questions put by the committee members.

The Members of the Court of Auditors are appointed by the Council, after consultation with the European Parliament, and following their nomination by their respective Member States. Their term of office is six years and is renewable. On 8 April 2022, the Council consulted the European Parliament on the nomination of Stephanus Abraham Blok as a Member of the Court of Auditors.