Julie Girling elected as Deputy EPP ENVI Coordinator

26 March 2018

Tonight the European People’s Party (EPP) ENVI group elected Julie Girling as their deputy coordinator. She succeeds the Austrian MEP Elisabeth Köstinger who left the European Parliament to become Agriculture Minister in Austria. Girling’s election is remarkable considering that she joined the EPP just three weeks ago, after she quit the European Conservatives and Reformists Group.

Mrs Girling had the Conservative whip suspended in October after supporting a resolution in Strasbourg declaring that “sufficient progress” had not been made in the Brexit talks to move on to further discussions on the future relationship between the UK and EU. She joined the European People’s Party whose approaches she believes “will more effectively further the prospects of achieving the best possible future for our constituents”.

Peter Liese, EPP-Coordinator in the ENVI Committee, has welcomed the election result: “Over the last 9 years, I have got to know Julie as a hard-working and capable colleague and I am looking forward to developing our work together on the ENVI Committee.” Mrs Girling said “I am very grateful for this vote of confidence from my new EPP colleagues. I shall be working hard to make a contribution to the committee’s work in what is shaping up to be a very busy final year of the mandate.”

Julie Girling – MEP of the Year for her work on Agriculture and Rural Business Development.

March 2017

Jacob Hensen from Fertilizers Europe presents Julie Girling with her award of MEP of the Year for Agriculture and Animal Welfare

Julie Girling MEP has won a top award, voted on by her peers, for her work on countryside issues. At the Annual Awards in Brussels, organised by Parliament Magazine, Julie was named MEP of the Year for her work on Agriculture and Rural Business Development.

The European Parliament was invited to vote to decide which MEP had made the greatest impact on key aspects including animal health and welfare, product quality and food security.

Mrs Girling, Conservative MEP for the South West and Gibraltar, was praised for her longstanding support of better animal welfare and for her successful management the Parliament’s position on National Emissions Ceilings, helping to deliver tough new targets aimed at reducing air pollution and cutting premature deaths from poor air quality. She was also recognised for her recent report on guidelines to improve the welfare of the EU’s seven million horses and donkeys.

After receiving her award Mrs Girling said: “I am truly honoured. When the recognition comes from your fellow MEPs it really means something.”

“I have always tried to do my best for the countryside, for animal welfare, for farming and for the environment, which can be a difficult balancing act – so it is nice to receive a little pat on the back.”