The Treaty of Nice (2003) has amended the procedure for appointing a new European Commission.

The team of European Commissioners - proposed by its President designate - 'shall be subject as a body to a vote of approval by the European Parliament'. Before taking this vote, European Parliament committees conduct hearings with the proposed Commissioners in accordance with Parliament's internal Rules of Procedure.

At the end of the term of Romano Prodi's European Commission, these Hearings of the Commissioners designate - the team nominated by incoming President José Manuel Barroso - took place between 27 September and 8 October 2004. On 4 November 2004 José Manuel Barroso received approval from the European Council for his team of Commissioners after he had revised it on three positions. Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini and Latvian Andris Piebalgs were added and the Hungarian Commissioner designate, László Kovács, was moved to another protfolio.