European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries (PECH) re-elected Pierre Karleskind (Renew, FR) as committee chair for the second half of the legislature, on Monday.
Pierre Karleskind (Renew, FR) was re-elected as the Chair of PECH by acclamation during the first meeting of 2022, held on Monday. MEPs also re-elected Peter van Dalen (EPP, NL), Søren Gade (Renew Europe, DK), Giuseppe Ferrandino (S&D, IT) and Maria da Graça Carvalho (EPP, PT) as vice-chairs.
“A very warm thanks for your trust for having re-elected me. In few last years, we had COVID, a major crisis that completely shook up our institutions and our society. Nevertheless, we reacted very quickly to provide responses to fishers”, declared Pierre Karleskind, following his election. “It will be very helpful for us to continue working together, for example, to forge good relations with the UK. We need to manage our resources, our ecosystems and our relationships, while trying to avoid conflict”, he added on Brexit.
The newly re-elected chair concluded: “In the year 2022 we will play a key role in assessing the Common Fisheries Policy. As MEPs, direct representatives of the European citizens, we need to be able to provide our opinions to send clear messages on fishing resources, aquaculture and marine environment, so that in 2030 we can celebrate many successes. I will be very pleased to chair our work”.
Main responsibilities of the Chair
The Chair presides over committee and coordinators’ meetings, represents the committee both within and outside the European Parliament and presides legislative negotiations led by the committee. Furthermore, the Chair has authority over voting procedures and rules on the admissibility of amendments.
Committee Chair and Vice-Chairs form the bureau, which is responsible for their respective committee’s smooth functioning. The committee bureau holds office for two and a half years (half of the legislature).