Following the outcome of the elections to the European Parliament (EP) at the end of May, the four centrist pro-European groups within the new EP (EPP, S&D, Renew Europe (formerly ALDE) and the Greens) have now started negotiations on identifying common priorities.
The negotiations take place in the form of working groups, composed of two Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from each political group per given issue. The aim is that these will feed into the Strategic Agenda of the European Council for the next five years, due to be discussed at the 20-21 June summit of EU leaders, as well as into the priorities of the next Commission.
The composition of the working group focusing on environment and climate change is as follows:
- EPP: Siegfried Muresan (RO), Peter Liese (DE)
- S&D: Kathleen Van Brempt (BE), Eric Andrieu (FR)
- Renew Europe (formerly ALDE + Macron’s Renaissance): Pascal Canfin (FR), Chris Davies (UK)
- The Greens: Bas Eickhout (NL), Yannick Jadot (FR)
Other working groups cover the following issues: economic and fiscal policies, trade; digitization and artificial intelligence (AI); rule of law, borders and migration; and “Europe in the world”. It is expected that MEPs involved in these negotiations will be in the running for key positions within the new Parliament
The Parliament’s Committees elected their Chairs and Vice-Chairs. The names of MEPs elected as Chairs and Vice-Chairs in ENVI and ITRE Committees, along with any key substantive messages the newly elected Chairs have made are summarized below.
ENVI
- Chair: Pascal Canfin (RE, FR)
- 1st Vice-Chair: Bas Eickhout (Greens/EFA, NL)
- 2nd Vice-Chair: Seb Dance (S&D, UK)
- 3rd Vice-Chair: Cristian-Silviu Busoi (EPP, RO)
- 4th Vice-Chair: Anja Hazekamp (GUE/NGL, NL)
Chair Pascal Canfin’s key messages:
- Stressed the symbolism of ENVI being the largest committee, showing that the Parliament appreciates the level of climate emergency and loss of biodiversity the world is facing.
- There is no Western European or East European transition – all have to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
ENVI has to be the frontrunner on climate ambition. It has to be able to compromise, but also to show strength.
ITRE
- Chair: Adina Valean (EPP, RO)
- 1st Vice-Chair: Zdzisław Krasnodębski (ECR, PL)
- 2nd Vice-Chair: Morten Helveg Petersen (RE, DK)
- 3rd Vice-Chair: Patrizia Toia (S&D, IT)
4th Vice-Chair: Lina Gálvez (S&D, ES)
IMCO
- Chair: Petra De Sutter (Greens, BE)
- 1st Vice-Chair: Pierre Karlesking (RE, FR)
- 2nd Vice-Chair: Maria Grapini (S&D, RO)
- 3rd Vice-Chair: Roza Thun (EPP, PL)
- 4th Vice-Chair: Maria Manuela Leitao Marques (S&D, PT)
BUDG
- Chair: Johan Van Overtveldt (ECR, BE)
- 1st Vice-Chair: Janusz Lewandowski (EPP, PL)
- 2nd Vice-Chair: Olivier Chastel (RE, BE)
- 3rd Vice-Chair: Margarida Marques (S&D, PT)
- 4th Vice-Chair: Niclas Herbst (EPP, DE)