On July 23rd, the European Parliament held constitutive meetings for all its committees, during which Chairs, Vice-Chairs, and group coordinators were nominated. Committees play a significant role in European law-making, as they are responsible for drafting reports on all legislative proposals brought forward by the Commission. These reports are then voted on by the entire Parliament during its Plenary sessions. Often, these reports include amendments to the original proposals, which are elaborated based on political compromises within the committee. In some cases, they may even suggest outright rejection of a proposal. Given this, the composition and leadership of each committee are highly contested among political groups, as positions such as Chair and Vice-Chair are critical for influencing outcomes.
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The largest Parliamentary Committee, the Committee on Environment and Public Health (ENVI), was previously dominated by Green and left-leaning MEPs during the last legislature, though the European People's Party (EPP) also had a strong presence. However, the Committee has shifted to the right in line with changes in the Parliament's overall composition. While the Chair position was awarded to a Socialist, Italian MEP Antonio Decaro, three of the four Vice-Chairs are from right-leaning groups, with the remaining position going to the Left group. The side-lining of the Greens and liberals from leadership roles likely diminishes their influence. Nonetheless, key MEPs from the previous legislature's ENVI Committee, such as French liberal Pascal Canfin — who served as Rapporteur for several key environmental files — have managed to retain their positions as members. Additionally, the Subcommittee on Public Health (SANT) was not elevated to the status of an independent Committee as had been anticipated. It remains a Subcommittee of ENVI, with Polish EPP Member Adam Jarubas serving as its Chair.
While the ENVI Committee has experienced a subtle yet significant shift towards the right, the AGRI Committee has seen a complete consolidation of conservative, pro-farmer control. For the first time, the Committee is chaired by a member of the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, specifically Czech MEP Veronika Vrecionová. Vrecionová, a long-time member of the Committee, comes from a moderate party within the ECR and is expected to adopt a pro-farmer, though pragmatic, stance on upcoming policy files. Two of the Vice-Chair positions are held by EPP members—experienced MEPs Daniel Buda from Romania and Norbert Lins from Germany—while the third is occupied by French Socialist Eric Sargiacomo.
In theory, the composition of committees and leadership roles should reflect the overall makeup of the Parliament as closely as possible. However, in practice, political groups often prioritize leadership positions in committees that align with their policy agendas. With the AGRI Committee now firmly in conservative hands and the ENVI Committee more balanced, the legislative process is expected to be much more farmer-friendly in this legislature than in the previous five years.