The row emerged during the three-hour hearing in the European Parliament for former Czech Trade Minister Jozef Síkela who has been nominated to replace Finland's Jutta Urpilainen as Commissioner for International Partnerships...

In written responses to the European Parliament's development committee Jozef Síkela the EU's incoming Commissioner for International Partnerships dismissed the significance of the BRICS expansion arguing that ‘the group's recent “enlargement” has to date mainly been a communication exercise'...

Among the surprise appointments was Czech trade and industry minister Jozef Síkela who had been tipped for the energy file being appointed to replace Finnish Social Democrat Jutta Urpilainen as Commissioner for International Partnerships...