By Martin Banks - 17th January 2012
There is little to suggest major changes
EU parliament source
MEPs are locked in last minute horse trading ahead of a possible shake-up in committee chairmanships this week.
As the parliamentary plenary in Strasbourg got underway on Monday, several committee chairmen and women were said to be at possible risk of losing their posts.
The chairs can be rotated at the start of the second half of each mandate and MEPs were expected to vote on any possible changes on Tuesday after the election of a new president. All nominations will, however, have to be rubberstamped by each committee in Brussels next week.
The main focus was on five committees, including the influential economic and monetary affairs committee, currently chaired by UK ALDE deputy Sharon Bowles.
The committee's work has become more high profile during the economic downturn with Bowles winning wide cross-party praise for her role as its chair.
But Bowles was said to be in danger of losing the position, possibly to French Socialist deputy Pervenche Berès, who chaired the committee in the last parliamentary term.
Elsewhere, the popular German Socialist member Jo Leinen was also believed to be at risk of losing the chair of the environment, public health and food safety committee while there could also be a change of chairmanship on the regional affairs committee, a job currently held by former EU regional policy commissioner Danuta Hübner.
However, it appears that UK Conservative deputy Malcolm Harbour will, despite intense recent speculation in parliamentary circles, hold on to the chairmanship of the internal market and consumer protection committee.
The Liberals are likely to retain the chair of the budgetary control committee but it is unclear whether Jan Mulder, a Dutch member, will keep the job.
However, most insiders expect few significant changes, a policy backed by the three mainstream groups.
One source said, "There is little to suggest major changes but with the ECR dropping four members that could affect their choices of positions."
A spokesman for the Greens/EFA group said, "From our side there are no likely changes in the committee chairs with Barbara Lochbihler and Eva Joly almost certain to stay on in their positions."
The ALDE group said they expect the informal agreement between groups to remain much the same as in the first half of the parliamentary mandate with an official saying they expect Bowles to retain the chairmanship of her committee.
An EPP source said, "The EPP in general wanted the smallest number of changes possible in committee chairs. There could be changes but not in the EPP.
"Depending what happens in the S&D group in their leadership election this week there could be consequent changes in the people they have nominated for committee posts.”
He said the other changes are expected to be minor and only affect vice chair posts, but that the move of some members from the ECR to the EFD group might "cause a problem" for the Polish delegation in the ECR.
He added, "Of course, if the 14 vice presidents of parliament are not elected as foreseen in the agreement between the groups then there could be problems but most think the 14 agreed candidates will be elected."
One well placed parliamentary insider said, "It (horse trading) is still very much going on and we won't really have a clearer picture until Tuesday."
