Basically, commissioners are usually former senior politicians who can no longer get elected, because they've been disgraced in some way or other. It's a sinecure.

It's almost impossible to dismiss them; the EU Parliament only has the power to dismiss the entire commission. That sounds like a nuclear option that could never be used; but is has been done, exactly once. It was over corruption; the parliament decided that essentially every commissioner was crooked.

Each country sends candidates which then have to be approved by the european parliament.

Without advocating for them I'll just say that I came to this forum a little over a year ago with the intention of researching ethics and development. As I near writing some conclusions I feel they're one of the few organisations I see consistently putting emphasis on ethics and I am thinking of joining for that reason.

Something along the lines of a Hippocratic Oath is needed.

Notwithstanding the complexities of intent, misuse and side-effects I increasingly think it is possible for hackers to consistently adopt a "I will do no harm to others and society" credo.

Sometimes just making it plain to an employer that you belong to a professional body whose ethics code would prohibit you from working on unconscionable tech is powerful - not least that it would afford you some protections under employment law if they threaten to fire you. At least that applies in other areas of medicine and engineering.

[0] https://www.bcs.org/