The size and party composition of the various parliamentary committees were definitively decided by the Secretary General of the European Parliament on Wednesday 26 June. In addition, the cordon sanitaire has been confirmed and some names of potential committee chairs are emerging.
Thus, the first committees in terms of size will be ENVI (Environment -76 seats), ITRE (Industry, Research and Energy - 72 seats) and AFET (Foreign Affairs -71) while among the smallest committees are CULT (Culture and Education -31), DEVE (Development - 26) and JURI (Legal Affairs - 25).
The other seats are distributed in the parliamentary committees as follows: - LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs - 68 Members) ; - ECON (Economic and Monetary Affairs - 60) ; EMPL (Employment and Social Affairs - 55) ; - TRAN (Transport and Tourism - 49) ; - AGRI (Agriculture and Rural Development - 48) ; - IMCO (Internal Market and Consumer Protection - 45) ; - REGI (Regional Development - 43) ; - BUDG (Budgets - 41) ; INTA (International Trade - 41); PETI ( Petitions - 35) ; FEMM (Women's Rights and Gender Equality - 35) ; CONT (Budgetary Control - 30) ; DROI (Human Rights - 30) ; SEDE (Security and Defence - 30) ; AFCO (Security and Defence - 28) ; PECH (Fisheries - 28).
Cordon sanitaire against the extreme right. The cordon sanitaire against the extreme right (see EUROPE 12284/9) has been confirmed and the JURI and AGRI committees will not go to Identity and Democracy (ID), but to the EPP and S&D respectively.
This will not be the first time such a cordon has been put in place. For example, an internal source explained to us, in 2014, PETI (Petitions) was due to go to the Italian 5-star movement (5 Stelle) and in the event it was the Swedish Cecilia Wikstrom (ALDE) who inherited the presidency.
Names of potential presidents. Several names for the different positions on parliamentary committees are circulating. The ENVI committee could go to Frenchman Pascal Canfin (RENEW EUROPE). INTA could go to the German David McAllister (EPP).
ITRE could go to the Pole Jerzy Buzek (EPP), who is already the current chairman of this committee. But speculation is rife. Spain's Pilar del Castillo (EPP) is also in the spotlight. There is also mention of the current President of the European Parliament, the Italian Antonio Tajani (EPP), for the position.
TRAN could go back to its current president, Karima Delli (Greens/EFA), while REGI would be handed over to Frenchman Younous Omarjee (GUE/NGL). As for CULT, the German Sabine Verheyen might be considered (EPP).
These are provisional names. They will be definitively known during the week of 8 July, when the presidents and vice-presidents of the various newly formed parliamentary committees will be elected.
To consult the table of distribution of seats: https://bit.ly/2YkmQFo (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens with Hermine Donceel)