A guide to Italian MEPs

The new European Parliament took shape, as the members of the various committees were nominated. First of all the presidents of the political groups decided the numerical composition of the internal bodies, then, according to the available seats, the distribution was made and MEPs were found to fill the posts.

Regarding Italy and its 73 MEPs, great curiosity surrounded former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. He will seat in the Committee on Foreign Affairs, despite his reiterated pro-Russian remarks. The 82-years-old politician insisted on the need of lifting sanctions against Moscow during his first press conference in Strasbourg, the first day of the first plenary session of the new European Parliament. Nevertheless, he will deal with Foreign affairs dossiers, as well as the new appointed vice-president of the EU institution, Fabio Massimo Castaldo (M5S).

Firmly devoted to agriculture remains the ‘guru’ in this field, Paolo De Castro. The MEP from the Democratic Party will seat in the committee for Agriculture, and he will be also a member of the committee on Budgets. It means he will fight in order to avoid cuts in the agriculture finanncing, as already proposed in the preliminary negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework.

Another PD politician confirmed in his previous ‘habitat’ is Robert Gualtieri. He will seat once again in the committee for Economic and financial affairs. The Italian is running to chair the body for the second time in a row, and EU sources stated that it is very likely he will succeed.

By the way, former EP president Antonio Tajani is running for a committee chair, too. He tried to get the internal parliamentary body devoted to industry, but he finished in the committee for Constitutional affairs, not one with the highest sex appeal (not for journalists, at least).

Here the entire list, committee by committee, of all the 73 Italian MEPs as distributed by the groups:

Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET):
Silvio Berlusconi (FI / EPP)
Giuliano Pisapia (PD / S&D)
Cinzia Bonfrisco (the League / ID)
Susanna Ceccardi (the League / ID)
Fabio Massimo Castaldo (M5S / NI)

Committee on Development (DEVE):
Pierfrancesco Majorino (PD / S&D)

Committee on International Trade (INTA):
Massimiliano Salini (FI / EPP)
Irene Tinagli (PD / S&D)
Oscar Lancini (the League / ID)
Luisa Regimenti (the League / ID)
Tizian Beghin (M5S / NI)

Committee on Budgets (BUDG):
Paolo De Castro (PD / S&D)
Elisabetta Gualmini (PD / S&D)
Anna Bonfisco (the League / ID)
Valentino Grant (the League / ID)

Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT):
Caterina Chinnici (PD / S&D)
Matteo Adinolfi (the League / ID)
Raffaele Fitto (FdI / ECR)
Sabrina Pignedoli (M5S / NI)

Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON):
Roberto Gualtieri (PD / S&D)
Valentino Grant (the League / ID)
Antonio Maria Rinaldi (the League / ID)
Marco Zanni (the League / ID)
Raffaele Fitto (FdI / ECR)
Pier Nicola Pedicini (M5S / NI)

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL):
Elisabetta Gualmini (PD / S&D)
Elena Lizzi (the League / ID)
Stefania Zambelli (the League / ID)
Chiara Gemma (M5S / NI)
Daniela Rondinelli (M5S / NI)

Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI):
Fulvio Martusciello (FI / EPP)
Simona Bonafè (PD / S&D)
Alessandra Moretti (PD / S&D)
Simona Baldassarre (the League / ID)
Marco Dreosto (the League / ID)
Silvia Sardone (the League / ID)
Pietro Fiocchi (FdI / ECR)
Eleonora Evi (M5S / NI)

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE):
Aldo Patriciello (FI / EPP)
Carlo Calenda (PD / S&D)
Patrizia Toia (PD / S&D)
Paolo Borchia (the League / ID)
Andrea Caroppo (the League / ID)
Isabella Tovaglieri (the League / ID)
Ignazio Corrao (M5S / NI)

Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO):
Brando Benifei (PD / S&D)
Maria Grapini (PD / S&D)
Alessandra Basso (the League / ID)
Carlo Fidanza (FdI / ECR)
Marco Zullo (M5S / NI)

Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN):
Giuseppe Milazzo (FI / EPP)
Giuseppe Ferrandino (PD / S&D)
Marco Campomenosi (the League / ID)
Marco Casanova (the League / ID)
Lucia Vuolo (the League / ID)
Mario Furore (M5S / NI)

Committee on Regional Development (REGI):
Andrea Cozzolino (PD / S&D)
Francesca Donato (the League / ID)
Alessandro Panza (the League / ID)
Raffaele Fitto (FdI / ECR)
Rosa D’Amato  (M5S / NI)

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI):
Herbert Dorfmann (SVP-FI / EPP)
Andrea Cozzolino (PD / S&D)
Paolo De Castro (PD / S&D)
Pina Picierno (PD / S&D)
Mara Bizzotto (the League / ID)
Angelo Ciocca (the League / ID)
Dino Giarrusso  (M5S / NI)

Committee on Fisheries (PECH):
Pietro Bartolo (PD / S&D)
Giuseppe Ferrandino (PD / S&D)
Rosanna Conte (the League / ID)
Rosa D’Amato  (M5S / NI)

Committee on Culture and Education (CULT):
Massimiliano Smeriglio (PD / S&D)
Gianantonio Da Re (the League / ID)
Isabella Adinolfi  (M5S / NI)

Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI):
Franco Roberti (PD / S&D)
Raffaele Stancanelli (FdI / ECR)
Sabrina Pignedoli (M5S / NI)

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE):
Pietro Bartolo (PD / S&D)
Caterina Chinnici (PD / S&D)
Annalisa Tardino (the League / ID)
Nicola Procaccini (FdI / ECR)
Laura Ferrara (M5S / NI)

Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO):
Antonio Tajani (FI / EPP)
Maria Grapini (PD / S&D)
Giuliano Pisapia (PD / S&D)
Antonio Maria Rinaldi (the League / ID)
Fabio Massimo Castaldo (M5S / NI)

Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM):
Pina Picierno (PD / S&D)
Isabella Tovaglieri (the League / ID)
Marco Zullo (M5S / NI)

Committee on Petitions (PETI):
Massimiliano Smeriglio (PD / S&D)
Gianna Gancia (the League / ID)
Eleonora Evi (M5S / NI)
Mario Furore (M5S / NI)

Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI):
Giuliano Pisapia (PD / S&D)
Susanna Ceccardi (the League / ID)

Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE):
Fabio Massimo Castaldo (M5S / NI)