OVERVIEW: ITRE COMMITTEE MEPs As the EU institutions’ summer break nears its end and the European Parliament heads back to town on 2nd September, Cicero has taken a closer look at the Industry, Research & Energy (ITRE) Committee members who are likely to play a prominent role throughout the Parliament’s 5 year mandate.
RETURNING MEPs:
OVERVIEW: ITRE COMMITTEE MEPs
NAME
ABOUT Jerzy Buzek EPP
• Previous Prime Minister of Poland Jerzy Buzek has been a key figure in the ITRE Committee since 2004. From 2009
Theresa Griffin S&D
• Labour Party MEP for North-West England Theresa Griffin has been member of ITRE and Transport and Tourism
Maria de Graca Carvalho EPP
• As previous Minister of Science and adviser to former Commission President José Manuel Barroso, Maria da Graca
Eva Kaili S&D
• Being labelled one of the “women who shape Brussels” and part of the “Tech MEPs gang” identified by Politico
Dan Nica S&D
• An experienced politician, Dan Nica has held several high-ranking positions in the Romanian government before
Angelika Niebler EPP
• As MEP since 1999, Angelika Niebler has played an important role in the ITRE Committee, having covered
to 2011 Buzek served as President of the European Parliament and proposed the first Code of Conduct for MEPs. He was rapporteur on several key files relating to the internal energy market as well as digital and research policy. He is expected to continue to be an authoritative figure in the ITRE Committee. (TRAN) since 2014 and has covered a number of important files relating to the Energy Union and air transport. Despite the UK leaving the EU, Griffin is expected to play an important role in further developing the EU Energy Union until she has to give up her mandate.
Carvalho is an experienced member of the ITRE Committee, having led on files such as the Horizon 2020 Research Programme. She is expected to continue her work in shaping the EU’s research policy.
last year, Eva Kaili has made a name for herself through her work on promoting digital innovation, including the blockchain technology and artificial intelligence data. With the European Commission expected to take action in these areas during its next mandate, Kaili will be the S&D’s mooted Rapporteur or Shadow-Rapporteur.
becoming MEP, including as Minister of Communications and IT, and as Vice Prime Minister. At UN level, Nica was Vice-President of the Committee on IT and Communications. Nica has been an active member of ITRE since 2014, having worked on establishing the Horizon Europe programme as well as the European Cloud Initiative. landmark digital files including the Cybersecurity Act and the Roaming Charges Act. Aside from her obligations as MEP, Niebler works as a lawyer for Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s Media, Entertainment and Technology Group and its Privacy, Cybersecurity and Consumer Protection Group.
European People’s Party (EPP) - Socialists & Democrats (S&D) - Renew Europe (RE)
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OVERVIEW: ITRE COMMITTEE MEPs NAME
ABOUT Henna Virkkunen EPP
• Previous Minister of Public Administration, Henna Virkkunen has been involved in digital files in the ITRE
Carlos Zorrinho S&D
• MEP and professor Zorrinho has held important positions in national politics, including as National Coordinator
Committee, including as Rapporteur on the Parliament’s Own Initiative Report on online platforms in the digital single market. With the EU expected to take further action on the digital economy, Virkkunen is expected to play an active role. of the Lisbon Strategy and the Technological Plan, to improve Portugal’s competitiveness through technology, innovation and knowledge. As MEP since 2014, Zorrinho has worked on important digital topics including as Rapporteur on the Internet Connectivity Report and is expected to continue this during the next mandate.
OVERVIEW: ITRE COMMITTEE MEPs
NEW KEY MEPs: NAME
ABOUT Mauri Pekkarinen RE
• Having served as Minister under five different governments, including as Minister for Trade and Industry and
Minister for Economic Affairs, Mauri Pekkarinen has now been elected to the European Parliament for the first time. He is expected to become an important figure in the ITRE Committee, especially on energy policy.
You may also be interested in Cicero Group’s overview of the European Parliament’s Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) Committee - please click here to access.
GET IN TOUCH... If you would like to speak to the Cicero team about this document, or how we can support your organisation and its public affairs objectives in 2019, please do contact Helena Walsh: Helena Walsh, Managing Director - EU Public Affairs BXL: +32 (0)2 612 8152 Helena.Walsh@cicero-group.com
European People’s Party (EPP) - Socialists & Democrats (S&D) - Renew Europe (RE)
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