Outgoing Labour MEP Cyrus Engerer has raised concerns over whether Chris Fearne will be approved as a European Commissioner after he was hit with criminal charges in connection with the Vitals magisterial inquiry.

“The European Parliament holds high standards when it comes to Commissioner-designates’ approval. Past decisions prove this,” Engerer told Politico.

Commissioner-designates must first be approved by parliamentary committees in their prospective fields of responsibility, and then by the European Council.

If Fearne is nominated as European Health Commissioner, as has been suggested due to his vast experience in the sector, he will have to be approved by the European Parliament’s environment and health committee (ENVI), which Engerer currently sits on.

Other current ENVI members also warned against Fearne’s nomination.

Slovenian MEP Irena Joveva, from the Renew Europe group, explicitly said his nomination shouldn’t go ahead.

“The answer is quite simple — no. Although I am a firm believer in European justice systems and everyone’s right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, there should be a prerequisite for everyone considered for any type of political position not to be facing any type of investigative process,” Joveva said.

Irish MEP Grace O’ Sullivan, from the Greens, told Politico it was “very difficult to see how a potential nominee facing serious criminal charges could be supported.”

Fellow Irish MEP Billy Kelleher, from Renew, said he would not vote for Fearne if he was still facing criminal charges at the time of his nomination.

“Being charged with criminal activity is unbecoming of a potential European Commissioner. I don’t believe the Maltese government should be nominating such a person to a very important role,” he said.