Germans dominate as EU Parliament committee coordinators

Good morning from Brussels,

***NOTE: [Brussels, 11 October 2024] Euractiv, the independent pan-European media network specialised in EU affairs, has appointed Matthew Karnitschnig as its new Editor-in-Chief (EIC). He will begin in early 2025.

The European Parliament has 24 committees, in which each political group selects one member to organise and negotiate legislation on their behalf: a coordinator.

Euractiv’s analysis shows that German MEPs dominate these positions, making them highly influential in the day-to-day deal-making that drives the legislative machine forward.

Magnus Lund Nielsen explains that of the 192 coordinators, 36 (18%) are German, while Belgium’s EU lawmakers will also heavily dictate the coalition building to pass legislation.

Regarding the upcoming hearings, the EU Parliament's legal affairs committee (JURI) on Thursday cleared all candidate commissioners.

However, there was a political clash, as Green and far-Left lawmakers walked out of the closed-door meeting, accusing the largest political groups (EPP, S&D) of a ‘predetermined’ outcome.
Meanwhile, EU Parliament political leaders confirmed on Thursday the timetable for the confirmation hearings of candidates for the new European Commission, to begin on 4 November.

EU member states bordering the Mediterranean will meet in Cyprus on Friday to discuss the situation in the Middle East amid an escalation of Israel’s bombings in Palestine and Lebanon.

In the health field, the World Health Organisation has said new vaccines could prevent half a million yearly deaths from antimicrobial resistance.
On tech, the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the EU suggests a potential revival of the review of the e-Privacy directive in draft Council conclusions dated Wednesday and seen by Euractiv.

PARIS

Barnier's 2025 budget heads to Parliament after ministers' nod. The French Council of Ministers on Thursday approved the draft 2025 Finance Law (PLF), which, if approved by deputies in the National Assembly, including an unprecedented €60 billion budgetary measure, with €40 billion in cuts and €20 billion in additional revenues. Read more.

France wants faster implementation of new EU migration rules, interior minister says. France’s new Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, on Thursday (10 October), joined Germany and Spain in expressing support for faster implementation of the EU’s new migration laws. Read more.

DUBLIN

New Irish DSA dispute body has ties to Meta, but assures independence. A new out-of-court body certified by Irish authorities to settle disputes related to the Digital Services Act (DSA) has strong ties to Meta, but argues that it is and will remain independent. Read more.

MADRID

Spain's Interior Minister on Thursday asked the European border agency Frontex to seek permission from African nations to patrol their waters in a bid to "save lives" on the perilous irregular migration route from the continent to the nearby Canary Islands archipelago. Read more.
Canary Islands urge Spanish government, centre-right to reach deal on migrant crisis. Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo on Thursday urged Spain's Socialist government and the main opposition Spanish People's Party to reach an urgent agreement on the severe migration crisis affecting the remote region off West Africa. Read more.
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ROME

Italy strongly condemns Israeli strikes in Lebanon targeting Italian bases. Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto has strongly condemned Israel's attacks on UNIFIL bases in Lebanon, two of which are Italian, adding that the attacks were not mistakes. Read more.

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LISBON

Portuguese youth, companies promised tax relief in 2025 budget. The proposed budget for 2025 will respect the aim of reducing the tax burden on families, young people and companies, the Portuguese government said on Thursday. Read more.

WARSAW

One in two Poles are in favour of taking in Ukrainian refugees, the lowest proportion since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of the war-torn country in 2022, the latest poll shows. Read more.

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PRAGUE

Czech food producers warn EU legislation could push up food prices. Starting next year, food prices across the European Union may increase due to the bloc’s green regulations, the Czech Food Chamber has warned. Read more.

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BUDAPEST

European Parliament will vote on the immunity of Hungarian opposition lawmakers. Hungary’s chief prosecutor has requested that the European Parliament waive the immunity of centre-right party leader and MEP (Tisza/EPP) Péter Magyar over alleged phone theft during a night out in Budapest. Read more.

SOFIA

Bulgarian authorities under fire for air pollution cover-up. Za Zemyata, one of Bulgaria’s largest environmental organisations, has accused the Bulgarian government and local authorities of hiding the true picture of air pollution in major cities. Read more.

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BUCHAREST

Bucharest accuses Russia of 'desperately' trying to alter Moldova’s EU path. Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu responded on Thursday to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's accusations that Romania was trying to "annex" Moldova, saying Russia is "desperately" trying to change Moldova's EU path. Read more.

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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor-Braçe]