News
BackThe EU Parliament and the Committees have already been set up. Martin Schulz (S&D) was re-elected President at the inaugural meeting of the European Parliament. Othmar Karas (ÖVP) did not put himself forward to be elected as Vice-President; however, Ulrike Lunacek’s appointment means that there is an Austrian Vice-President after all. Meanwhile, the composition of the committees has also been determined.
There are currently 20 committees in the European Parliament. A committee consists of 25 to 71 members and the same number of vice-chairs. In addition, each committee has a chair and up to four vice-chairs. At the inaugural meeting on 7 July 2014, the committees of the European Parliament elected their chairs and vice-chairs for the next two and a half years.
What was remarkable this time is the fact that there were alternatives to the proposal by the Conference of Presidents: none of the nominated candidates of the faction “Europe of Freedom and Democracy” manage to get the sufficient number of votes. As a result, not all parties have a chair and a vice-chair respectively, as it is normally the case. Among the chairs and their vice-chairs are also some with a trade union background: Thomas Händel (Left, IG Metall) does now chair the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, one of his vice-chairs is Agnes Jongerius (S&D, Dutch trade union FNV). Bernd Lange (S&D, IG Metall) is chair of the Committee on International Trade, Claude Moraes (S&D, British trade union UNITE) has been elected chair of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and Sergio Cofferati (S&D, Italian trade union CGIL) is vice-chair of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer protection.
The Austrian MEPs are represented in 18 of the 20 committees; the only committees without the involvement of Austrian MEPs Committee on Fisheries and the Committee on Constitutional Affairs. Elisabeth Köstinger (ÖVP) was elected department secretary of the EPP in the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, Evelyn Regner spokesperson of the S&D in the Committee on Legal Affairs and Josef Weidenholzer Human Rights spokesperson of the S&D. In addition, Jörg Leichtfried was elected S&D vice-chair.
More information under:
Chairs and vice-chairs of EP Committees
Powers and responsibilities of the standing committees
Calendar of meetings
What was remarkable this time is the fact that there were alternatives to the proposal by the Conference of Presidents: none of the nominated candidates of the faction “Europe of Freedom and Democracy” manage to get the sufficient number of votes. As a result, not all parties have a chair and a vice-chair respectively, as it is normally the case. Among the chairs and their vice-chairs are also some with a trade union background: Thomas Händel (Left, IG Metall) does now chair the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, one of his vice-chairs is Agnes Jongerius (S&D, Dutch trade union FNV). Bernd Lange (S&D, IG Metall) is chair of the Committee on International Trade, Claude Moraes (S&D, British trade union UNITE) has been elected chair of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and Sergio Cofferati (S&D, Italian trade union CGIL) is vice-chair of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer protection.
The Austrian MEPs are represented in 18 of the 20 committees; the only committees without the involvement of Austrian MEPs Committee on Fisheries and the Committee on Constitutional Affairs. Elisabeth Köstinger (ÖVP) was elected department secretary of the EPP in the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, Evelyn Regner spokesperson of the S&D in the Committee on Legal Affairs and Josef Weidenholzer Human Rights spokesperson of the S&D. In addition, Jörg Leichtfried was elected S&D vice-chair.
More information under:
Chairs and vice-chairs of EP Committees
Powers and responsibilities of the standing committees
Calendar of meetings