Brussels, 23 July 2024
Committee members elected their new Chair and four Vice-Chairs during the constitutive meeting on Tuesday. Adrian-Dragoș Benea (S&D, RO) was elected Chair of the Regional Development Committee by acclamation.
“The REGI committee will face two challenges: to ensure smooth implementation of the 2021-2027 period and prepare new cohesion policy package. We need to safeguard the key pillars of our Cohesion Policy: robust budget, shared management, multilevel governance, a place-based approach and the partnership principle. I will make sure our committee is fully involved in all stages of designing the new investment capacity,” said Adrian-Dragoș Benea after his election.
Vice Chairs
REGI committee MEPs also elected four Vice-Chairs by acclamation:
1st Vice-Chair: Gabriella Gerzsenyi (EPP, HU) – elected by acclamation.
2nd Vice-Chair: Nora Mebarek (S&D, FR) – elected by acclamation.
3rd Vice-Chair: Francesco Ventola (ECR, IT) – elected by 21 votes for, 11 against and 7 abstentions.
4th Vice-Chair: Ľubica Karvašová (Renew, SK) – elected by 28 votes in favour against another candidate Rody Tolassy (Patriots, FR), who received 12 votes in favour.
Main responsibilities of the bureau
A committee bureau (Chair and up to four Vice-chairs) is elected for a two-and-a-half-year mandate and is responsible for their respective committee’s smooth functioning. Committees deal with legislative proposals, appoint negotiating teams to conduct talks with EU ministers, adopt reports, organise hearings and scrutinise other EU bodies and institutions.
In addition to presiding over committee and coordinator’s meetings, the Chair represents the committee both within and outside Parliament and presides over legislative negotiations led by the committee.
More info on the powers and responsibilities of EP committees.
Rules on the composition of the bureau
The process for the election of committee bureaus is defined in Rule 219 of the Rules of Procedure, according to which the 41 full REGI members can vote by acclamation or by secret ballot. The list of new members of the new Committee on Regional Development is available here.