Wopke Hoekstra has the European Parliament’s green light to remain as the EU’s climate commissioner, according to three Parliament committee coordinators familiar with the decision.
The approval came shortly after the Dutch commissioner sailed through a three-hour grilling from Parliament members — a striking change from Hoekstra’s first confirmation hearing in 2023, when he first took on the climate chief role.
He stood by the EU’s ambitious climate agenda, including an anticipated 2040 climate target to cut 90 percent of emissions. And he refused to bite when several frustrated members of the European Parliament pressed him on controversial climate targets for the auto industry.
The former Dutch finance minister also faced pointed questions about taxation, a new area being added to his portfolio. Notably, he opened the door to an EU-only attempt to set baseline tax rates for multinational firms — an answer tied to concerns that Donald Trump may spike broader global efforts after taking back the U.S. presidency.
