European Parliament Committee on Constitutional Affairs
European Parliament committee
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The Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) is a standing committee of the European Parliament. It deals with the institutional aspects of European integration, including the implementation and amendment of the Treaties of the European Union, interinstitutional relations, the European electoral procedure, European political parties and foundations, and the interpretation and application of Parliament's Rules of Procedure. It was established in 1982 as the Committee on Institutional Affairs.[1]
| Committee on Constitutional Affairs | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | AFCO |
| Type | Standing committee |
| Legislature | European Parliament |
| Parliamentary term | 10th European Parliament |
| Chair | Sven Simon EPP, Germany |
| Vice-Chairs | Gabriele Bischoff (S&D) Adrián Vázquez Lázara (EPP) Charles Goerens (Renew) |
| Members | 30 |
| Political composition | EPP: 9 · S&D: 6 · ECR: 3 · Renew: 3 PfE: 4 · Greens/EFA: 2 · The Left: 2 · ESN: 1 |
| Established | 1982 |
| Jurisdiction | Institutional reform, EU treaties, interinstitutional relations, electoral law, European political parties and Parliament's Rules of Procedure |
| Website | Official website |
Responsibilities
The committee is responsible for the institutional aspects of the European integration process, particularly the preparation, initiation and conduct of procedures for amending the Treaties. It also examines the institutional consequences of enlargement negotiations and proposals concerning the constitutional development of the European Union.[2]
Its remit includes:
- implementation of the Treaties and assessment of their operation;
- interinstitutional relations, including agreements between the institutions;
- Parliament's Rules of Procedure and proposals for their amendment;
- the European electoral procedure and the verification of members' credentials;
- the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations;
- Parliament's role in the appointment or election of office-holders in the institutions of the European Union;
- institutional consequences of enlargement negotiations; and
- the determination of whether there is a serious and persistent breach by a member state of the values on which the European Union is founded.[2]
The committee also maintains relations with national parliaments and with bodies concerned with the institutional development of the European Union.[1]
Chairs
The following table lists the chairs of the committee since 1999.
| Name | Political group | Member state | Took office | Left office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giorgio Napolitano | PES |  Italy |
1999 | 2004 | |
| Jo Leinen | PES |  Germany |
2004 | 2009[3] | |
| Carlo Casini | EPP | Italy |
2009 | 2014 | |
| Danuta Hübner | EPP |  Poland |
2014 | 2019[4] | |
| Antonio Tajani | EPP | Italy |
2019 | 2022 | |
| Salvatore De Meo | EPP | Italy |
2022 | 2024 | |
| Sven Simon | EPP | Germany |
2024 | Incumbent[5] |
Members
10th Parliament, 2024–2029
The committee consists of 30 full members. Its current composition is shown below, with the chair and vice-chairs indicated in italics.[5]
Substitute members
Research support
The committee's work is supported by the research services of the European Parliament. These services provide studies, briefings and other analyses concerning institutional reform, treaty change, electoral law, democratic accountability, interinstitutional relations and Parliament's internal rules.[6]
Publications prepared for the committee are made available through its online database of supporting analyses and through the European Parliament's Think Tank.[7]