BRUSSELS. Russia, and the crisis along the border with Ukraine. The need to continue to manage the health crisis and ensure full exit from the resulting economy. Again, awareness of the challenge of sustainability. Without forgetting the promotion of policies for true gender equality. The political priorities of the European Union and the main issues of foreign policy reshape the work agenda of the European Parliament, where it was decided to strengthen all the commissions that will have to work to respond to the immediate challenges of the EU.
The presidents of the parliamentary groups, in the traditional mid-term renewal of the institution, have decided to change the number of members of their internal bodies. The number of MEPs remains unchanged for all, except for the Foreign Affairs committees (8 deputies more than in the last European parliamentary term), Environment and public health (where the pandemic and green economy dossiers pass, +7 deputies) , Economic Affairs (+1), and Women’s Rights (+2). In addition, an MP is added to the Civil Liberties Commission, which is where issues of respect for the rule of law are discussed. It is here, to be clear, that the initiatives of Hungary and Poland, Member States which have long been in the sights of the Eurocamera, are monitored.
For the remaining two and a half years of work, the European Parliament therefore appears to be intent on reshaping itself on the basis of the main challenges. No commission has been reduced in its number of components, but those which, due to their own policies and the evolution of the international context, become even more strategic.
The members of each parliamentary committee will be designated by the groups, while presidents and vice-presidents will be the subject of a vote, scheduled for next week.