The Parliamentary Committees
The 20 parliamentary committees of the European Parliament are the “specialised” entities in which most of the legislative work is undertaken. They meet publicly once or twice a month in Brussels to prepare community legislation (regulations, directives, etc.).
For each legislative text put forward by the European Commission, the competent committee at the European Parliament appoints a “rapporteur” who writes a draft report, which he presents to the members of his parliamentary committee. Together they study and suggest amendments to the draft before adopting them via a vote.
The report, which is approved by the committee, is then ready for adoption during the plenary session.
The political distribution of the committee members reflects the political composition of the European Parliament.
All of the MEPs are members of a parliamentary committee and substitute members of another.
The European Parliament can also create temporary committees (e.g. the temporary committee on climate change), sub-committees (e.g. the Security and Defence sub-committee, which answers to the Foreign Affairs Commission), as well as Committees of Inquiry, and special committees.
The Special Committees
The special committees are temporary entities created to deal with specific problems. The Parliament can create these committees at any time with a mandate of 12 months that can be extended.
A special committee on terrorism was set up on 14th September 2017.
A special committee on the procedure to authorise the use of pesticides by the Union was established on 2nd February 2018.
A special committee on financial crime, tax fraud and tax evasion was established on 1st March 2018.
Prior to this there was a special committee on:
• Tax rulings and other similar measures due to their nature or their effect (TAXE) established on 12th February 2015, whose work was finalised on 30th November 2015.
• Tax Rulings and other similar measures due to their nature or their effect (TAXE 2) established on 2nd December 2015, whose work was finalised on 2nd August 2016.
During the 2019-2024 legislature :
A special committee on artificial intelligence in the digital era was established on 18th of June 2020 (AIDA)
A special committee on beating cancer was established on 23rd of September 2020 (BECA)
A special committee on foreign interferences in democratic processes in the European Union (INGE) was established on 18th of June 2020 and extended in a second special committee on 28th of April 2022 (ING2)
A special committee on the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic was established on 10th of March 2022 (COVI)
The Committees of Inquiry
The Committees of Inquiry, whose powers are based on the European Parliament’s supervisory power are responsible for investigating breaches of community law or allegations of poor administration in the implementation of EU law.
Two Committees of Inquiry have been established during the 2014-2019 legislature :
• on the measurement of emissions in the automotive sector (EMIS) established on 17th December 2015, whose work was finalised on 4th April 2017.
• on money laundering, tax avoidance and tax fraud (PANA) established on 8th June 2016, whose work was finalised on 13th December 2017.
Two Committees of Inquiry have been established during the current 2019-2024 legislature:
- On the Protection of animals during transport (ANIT) established on 19th of June 2020
- On the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware (PEGA), established on 10th of March 2022
→ To consult the complete list of parliamentary committees, click here
Standing Committees
The current Chairs and Vice- Chairs of the committees are :
Chair: David McAllister (EPP, DE)
First Vice-Chair: Witold Jan Waszczykowski (ECR, PL)
Second Vice-Chair: Urmas Paet (Renew Europe, EE)
Third Vice-Chair: Sergei Stanishev (S&D, BG)
Fourth Vice-Chair : Željana Zovko (EPP, HR)
Subcommittee on Security and Defense (SEDE):
Chair: Nathalie Loiseau (Renew Europe, FR)
First Vice-Chair: Nikos Papandreou (S&D, EL)
Second Vice-Chair: Raza Jukneviciene (EPP, LT)
Third Vice-Chair: Özlem Demirel (The Left, DE)
Fourth Vice-Chair: Lukas Mandl (EPP, AT)
Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI):
Chair: Udo Bullman (S&D, DE)
First Vice-Chair: Bernard Guetta (Renew Europe, FR)
Second Vice-Chair: Hannah Neumann (Greens/EFA, DE)
Third Vice-Chair: Christian Sagartz (EPP, AT)
Fourth Vice-Chair: Raphaël Glucksmann (S&D, FR)
Chair: Tomas Tobé (EPP, SE)
First Vice-Chair: Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana (Greens/EFA, DE)
Second Vice-Chair: Mercedes Bresso (S&D, IT)
Third Vice-Chair: Stéphane Bijoux (Renew Europe, FR)
Fourth Vice-Chair: Erik Marquardt (Greens/EFA, DE)
Chair: Bernd Lange (S&D, DE)
First Vice-Chair: Jan Zahradil (ECR, CZ)
Second Vice-Chair: Iuliu Winkler (EPP, RO)
Third Vice-Chair: Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou (EPP, EL)
Fourth Vice-Chair: Marie-Pierre Vedrenne (Renew Europe, FR)
Chair: Johan Van Overtveldt (ECR, BE)
First Vice-Chair: Janusz Lewandoski (EPP, PL)
Second Vice-Chair: Olivier Chastel (Renew Europe, BE)
Third Vice-Chair: Margarida Marques (S&D, PT)
Fourth Vice-Chair: Niclas Herbst (EPP, DE)
Chair: Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, DE)
First Vice-Chair: Isabel García Muñoz (S&D, ES)
Second Vice-Chair: Sandor Ronai (S&D, HU)
Third Vice-Chair: Gilles Boyer (Renew Europe, FR)
Fourth Vice-Chair: Tomáš Zdechovský (EPP, CZ)
Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON):
Chair: Irene Tingali (S&D, IT)
First Vice-Chair: Luděk Niedermayer (EPP, CZ)
Second Vice-Chair: Eva Maria Poptcheva (Renew Europe, ES)
Third Vice-Chair: Michiel Hoogeveen (ECR, NL)
Fourth Vice-Chair: José Gusmão (The Left, PT)
Subcommittee on Tax Matters (FISC):
Chair: Paul Tang (S&D, NL)
First Vice-Chair: Markus Febrer (EPP, DE)
Second Vice-Chair: Martin Hlavacek (Renew, CZ)
Third Vice-Chair: Kira Marie Peter-Hansen (Greens/EFA, DK)
Fourth Vice-Chair: Othmar Karas (EPP, AT)
Employment and Social Affairs Committee (EMPL):
Chair: Dragoș Pîslaru (Renew Europe, RO)
First Vice Chair: Alicia Homs Ginel (S&D, ES)
Second Vice Chair: Leila Chaibi (The Left, FR)
Third Vice Chair: Romana Tomc (S&D, SI)
Fourth Vice Chair: Katrin Langensiepen (Greens/EFA, DE)
Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI):
Chair: Pascal Canfin (Renew Europe, FR)
First Vice Chair: Bas Eickhout (Greens/EFA, NL)
Second Vice Chair: Cesar Luena (S&D, ES)
Third Vice Chair: Marian-Jean Marinescu (EPP, RO)
Fourth Vice Chair: Anja Hazekamp (The Left, NL)
Subcommittee on Public Health (SANT):
Chair: Vacant
First Vice Chair: Tudor Ciuhaodaru (S&D / RO)
Second Vice Chair: Irena Joveva (Renew / SI)
Third Vice Chair: Tilly Metz (Greens/EFA / LU)
Fourth Vice Chair: Joanna Kopcińska (ECR / PL)
Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE):
Chair: Cristian-Silviu Buşoi (EPP, RO)
First Vice Chair: Zdzisław Krasnodębski (ECR, PL)
Second Vice Chair: Morten Petersen (Renew Europe, DK)
Third Vice Chair: Patrizia Toia (S&D, IT)
Fourth Vice Chair: Lina Galvez Muñoz (S&D, ES)
Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO):
Chair: Anna Cavazzini (Greens/EFA, DE)
First Vice Chair: Andrus Ansip (Renew Europe, EE)
Second Vice Chair: Maria Grapini (S&D, RO)
Third Vice Chair: Krzysztof Hetman (EPP, PL)
Fourth Vice Chair: Maria Manuel Leitão Marques (S&D, PT)
Chair: Karima Delli (Greens/EFA, FR)
First Vice Chair: István Ujhelyi (S&D, HU)
Second Vice Chair: Jens Gieseke (EPP, DE)
Third Vice Chair: Andriks Ameriks (S&D, LV)
Fourth Vice Chair: Jan-Christoph OETJEN (Renew Europe, DE)
Chair: Younous Omarjee (The Left, FR)
First Vice Chair: Krzysztof Hetman (EPP, PL)
Second Vice Chair: Vlad-Marius Botoș (Renew Europe, RO)
Third Vice Chair: Nora Mebarek (S&D, FR)
Fourth Vice Chair: Isabel Benjumea (EPP, ES)
Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI):
Chair: Nobert Lins (EPP, DE)
First Vice Chair: Benoît Biteau (Greens/EFA, FR)
Second Vice Chair: Daniel Buda (EPP, RO)
Third Vice Chair: Mazaly Aguilar (ECR, ES)
Fourth Vice Chair: Elsi Katainen (Renew Europe, FI)
Chair: Pierre Karleskind (Renew Europe, FR)
First Vice Chair: Francisco Jose Millan Mon (EPP, ES)
Second Vice Chair: Asger Christensen (Renew Europe, DK)
Third Vice Chair: Predrag Fred Matic (S&D, CR)
Fourth Vice Chair: Clara Aguilera (S&D, IT)
Chair: Sabine Verheyen (EPP, DE)
First Vice Chair: Romeo Franz (Greens/EFA, DE)
Second Vice Chair: Andrey Slabakov (ECR, BG)
Third Vice Chair: Victor Negrescu (S&D, RO)
Fourth Vice Chair: Michaela Sojdrova (EPP, CZ)
Chair: Adrián Vazuez Lazara (Renew Europe, ES)
First Vice Chair: Sergey Lagodinsky (Greens/EFA, DE)
Second Vice Chair: Marion Walsmann (EPP, DE)
Third Vice Chair: Lara Wolters (S&D, NL)
Fourth Vice Chair: Raffaele Stancanelli (ECR, IT)
Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE):
Chair: Juan Fernando López Aguilar (S&D, ES)
First Vice Chair: Maite Pagazaurtundúa (Renew Europe, ES)
Second Vice Chair: Pietro Bartolo (S&D, IT)
Third Vice Chair: Andrzej Halicki (EPP, BG)
Fourth Vice Chair: Emil Radev (EPP, BG)
Constitutional Affairs (AFCO):
Chair: Salvatore de Meo (EPP, IT)
First Vice Chair: Gabriele Bischoff (S&D, DE)
Second Vice Chair: Charles Goerens (Renew, LX)
Third Vice Chair: Giuliano Pisapia (S&D, IT)
Fourth Vice Chair: Lorant Vincze (EPP, RO)
Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM):
Chair: Robert Biedron (S&D, PL)
First Vice Chair: Eugenia Rodríguez Palop (The Left, ES)
Second Vice Chair: Sylwia Spurek (Greens/EFA, PL)
Third Vice Chair: Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi (EPP, EL)
Fourth Vice Chair: Radka Maxová (S&D, CZ)
Chair: Dolors Montserrat (EPP, ES)
First Vice Chair: Ana Miranda (Greens/EFA, ES)
Second Vice Chair: Yana Toom (Renew Europe, EE)
Third Vice Chair: Ryszard Czarnecki (ECR, PL)
Fourth Vice Chair: Cristina Maestre Martín de Almagro (S&D, ES)