Former Foreign Minister Joe Borg is to be given the blessing of the European Parliament's fisheries committee to become Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, following his hearing on Tuesday.
Sources close to the committee told The Times the evaluation report on Dr Borg's performance was concluded yesterday morning and it was "very positive".
The sources said all political groups in the committee expressed their satisfaction at the way Dr Borg performed and will be voting in favour of his nomination.
The only negative reaction came from the Independence/Democracy Group, not because of Dr Borg's personal performance but because they were against the fisheries policy as a concept.
According to the sources, the Socialist representatives in the committee will be voting in favour of Dr Borg, who comes from the rival political grouping.
Parliamentary procedure lays down that following each hearing, the respective committee deliberates before drafting a letter of evaluation on the designate commissioner. This letter is then forwarded to the president of the Parliament.
Once all the hearings are completed, the Conference of Committee Chairmen will make an overall assessment of the commissioners-designate and Parliament will then vote on whether to approve the new Commission as a whole at its Strasbourg plenary session of October 25-28.
Sources close to the European People's Party, Dr Borg's own political family, told The Times their group was very satisfied with Dr Borg. In its own report the group said that "the hearing took place in a very cordial atmosphere and Dr Borg replied to all the questions by the EPP/ED group".
The report adds that he showed deep knowledge of the subject and "the final judgment of the EPP/ED group on Dr Borg's performance is more than positive".
On the other hand, the Socialist Group gave "guarded approval" to the Maltese commissioner-designate. In a statement issued following the hearing, the Socialist MEPs warned of the potential of conflict between Dr Borg's maritime affairs portfolio and that of Transport Commissioner-Designate Jacques Barrot. The group added that "it welcomes his 'satisfactory' response on key Socialist Group concerns, including the social and economic impact of reform of the Common Fisheries Policy".
Socialist Group vice-president Jan Marinus Wierma and the group's spokesman on fishing policy Heinz Kindermann said: "Dr Borg's answers were satisfactory, inasmuch as he said he was concerned to achieve a successful, integrated approach to regional development of fishing-dependent coastal areas".
The Socialist MEPs described Dr Borg's answers to questions as "long but vague enough not to be wrong".
Mr Kindermann said: "Overall, Socialist members of the committee recommended the group to support Dr Borg, on the assumption that he will fulfill his pledges of constant dialogue with the European Parliament and show the necessary openness to our concerns".