On Wednesday 18 January, the European Parliament decided on the numerical composition of its different permanent parliamentary committees.
The Parliament will decide on the composition of the permanent committees on Thursday 19 January. The committees will elect their chairpersons at the constitutive meetings on 23 January. In particular, it is possible that Giovanni La Via (EPP, Italy) may no longer be the chair of the Parliament's environment, public health and food safety committee, due to the election of another Italian, Antonio Tajani, as president of the European Parliament (but the chairmanship of this committee could remain in the hands of the EPP). Alain Cadec (EPP, France) is expected to keep his position as chair of the fisheries committee, and Jean Arthuis (ALDE, France) is expected to keep his position as chair of the budgets committee. Elsewhere, Karima Delli (Greens/EFA, France) will take the chair of the transport and tourism committee, replacing her fellow group-member Michael Cramer (Greens/EFA, Germany) (see other article).
The decision on the numerical composition of the committees is as follows: foreign affairs: 73 members; development: 28 members; international trade: 41 members; budgets: 41 members; budgetary control: 30 members; economic and monetary affairs: 61 members; employment and social affairs: 55 members; environment, public health and food safety: 69 members; industry, research and energy: 67 members; internal market and consumer protection: 40 members; transport and tourism: 49 members; regional development: 43 members; agriculture and rural development: 46 members; fisheries: 27 members; culture and education: 31 members; legal affairs: 25 members; civil liberties, justice and home affairs: 60 members ; constitutional affairs: 25 members; women's rights and gender equality: 37 members; petitions: 36 members; sub-committee on human rights: 30 members and sub-committee on security and defence: 30 members. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)