27/03/2017 (Agence Europe) – United Kingdom MEP Julie Girling, who recently re-joined the EPP Group after being suspended by the ECR Group, has become the EPP deputy coordinator on environmental matters. She was elected to the post on Monday evening 26 March, replacing Elisabeth Köstinger (Austria), who has been appointed Agriculture Minister in her home country. In a press release, Peter Liese, EPP coordinator in the environment committee, welcomed the election of a “hard-working and capable colleague”. Girling was, inter alia, the rapporteur on reform of the ETS. She was suspended by the ECR Group in October 20-17 for supporting a Parliament resolution which stated that, at the time, not enough progress had been made for the Brexit talks to move on to the second phase (see EUROPE 11971 and 11875). (AN)