Brussels - The European Parliament on Wednesday gave its approval to the appointment of Cypriot Androula Vassiliou, as the EU's health commissioner.

The vote was carried by 446 to seven, with 29 abstentions.

Vassiliou, 64, a Cypriot politician and former first lady, formally replaced Markos Kyprianou on March 3, after her compatriot took up the post of foreign minister in the new Cyprus government.

She has already taken up her post, introducing herself to the parliament on April 1 and making her first speech as commissioner at a conference on cancer in Slovenia on April 7.

However, parliament has to formally approve her appointment.(dpa)