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INFO RUCNMEU/EU INTEREST COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS USEU BRUSSELS 001404 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL ECON PGOV OVIP OEXC PINR EUN
SUBJECT:  ANALYSIS OF COMPOSITION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 
DELEGATION FOR RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES 
 
REF: BRUSSELS 1304 
 
¶1. (SBU) INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY:  The European Parliament (EP) has 
become increasingly influential in EU legislation and policy making; 
the new Lisbon Treaty, when ratified, will significantly accelerate 
this trend, in particular in the areas of justice and home affairs, 
agricultural budgets and international trade.  With the seating of 
the new EP following the June elections, USEU has significantly 
increased its outreach to the EP, and now generally recommends that 
USG officials consider meeting with appropriate EP counterparts when 
visiting Brussels. 
 
¶2. (SBU)  One of our first ports of call in the EP for transatlantic 
policy discussions will be the EP's Delegation for Relations with 
the United States (D-US), now chaired by German conservative (and 
Merkel confidante) Elmar Brok.  Reflecting the importance both of 
transatlantic relations to the European Union and the EP's interest 
in better ties with the U.S. Congress, U.S. Delegation members are 
often powerful and influential in their own right elsewhere in the 
Parliament, and particularly in those committees that handle issues 
of concern to us.  This cable looks in detail at the composition and 
members of the Delegation and tries to identify MEPs likely to be 
the most influential and potential key contacts for the USG in view 
of their role and activities in the European Parliament.  In the 
interest of simplicity, this analysis limits itself to the 53 full 
members of the Delegation (substitute members are not taken into 
account) and complements an earlier Brussels telegram on the 
delegation (reftel). 
 
¶3. (U) The U.S. Delegation will send five MEPs, including the chair 
Elmar Brok and two vice chairs, to Washington next week to meet with 
the Co-chairs of the Transatlantic Economic Council (DNSA Froman and 
Commission Vice President Verheugen), counterparts in Congress and 
senior Administration officials.  END SUMMARY. 
 
---------------------------- 
EP Leaders in the Delegation 
---------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU)  In addition to the recently elected chairman (German 
member of EPP Elmar Brok) of the D-US and its two vice-chairs 
(British Liberal Democrat Sarah Ludford and Greek Euroskeptic Niki 
Tzavela), a number of D-US members hold influential positions in the 
European Parliament: 
 
-- Two EP Vice-Presidents are member of the D-US: Greek Socialist 
MEP Stavros Lambrinidis and Czech Socialist MEP Libor Roucek; 
-- Nine D-US members are vice-chairs of their political groups, 
which play a critical role in EP politics and policy formulation; 
-- The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D)has 
three of its vice-chairs sit on the D-US: Maria Badia i 
Cutchet(Spain), Hannes Swoboda (Austria) and Marita Ulvskog 
(Sweden); 
-- From the Center-right European People's Party, two EPP 
vice-chairs are part of the Delegation: Paulo Rangel (Portugal) and 
Corien Wortmann-Kool (Netherlands; 
-- The Greens have two vice-chairs sit on the Delegation, namely 
Reinhardt Butikofer (Germany) and Clause Turmes (Luxembourg); 
-- Anneli Jddtteenmdki (Finland), who is vice-chair of the Alliance 
of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), also sits on the D-US; 
 
-- Vice-chair of the D-US Tzavela also serves as vice-chair of her 
political group, the Europe of Freedom and Democracy group (EFD). 
 
¶5. (SBU) Six members of the Delegation hold leadership positions in 
the Parliament's specialized Committees: 
 
-- Elmar Brok (EPP, Germany), the D-US chair, also serves as one of 
the two EPP coordinators in the Foreign Affairs Committee; 
-- Fiorello Provera (EFD, Italy) is vice-chair of the Foreign 
Affairs Committee; 
-- Jeannine Hennis Plasschaert (ALDE, Netherlands) is the ALDE 
Coordinator in the Citizens' Rights (LIBE) Committee; 
-- Danuta Hubner (EPP, Poland) is the Chair of the Regional Affairs 
Committee; 
-- Corina Cretu (S&D, Romania) is vice-chair of the Development 
Committee; and 
-- Rafal Trzaskowski (EPP, Poland) is vice-chair of the 
Constitutional Affairs Committee. 
 
---------------------------- 
Representation of Committees 
---------------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) With twelve full members, the Foreign Affairs Committee is 
best represented in the D-US, followed by the Industry Committee 
(seven members), the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (five 
members), the Constitutional Affairs Committee (five members), the 
Environment Committee (four members), the Security and Defense 
 
 
Committee (four members), the Citizens' Rights Committee (three 
members) and the Regional Affairs Committee (three members).  The 
Internal Market Committee, the Legal Affairs Committee, the 
Employment Committee and the Culture Committee all deliver two 
members to the Delegation, while the International Trade Committee, 
the Agriculture Committee, the Development Committee, the Fisheries 
Committee, the Budget Committee, the Human Rights Committee and the 
Petitions Committee all have one member who is at the same time a 
full member of the D-US. 
 
Foreign Affairs Committee 
------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Twelve D-US members are also members of the Foreign Afairs 
Committee: 
--Elmar Brok (Germany, EPP): Elmar Brok is a respected senior MEP 
from the main center-right EPP group and was former chairman of the 
Foreign Affairs Committee for more than 7 years; he is known to be 
close to German Chancellor Merkel.  He is also the EP's expert on 
institutional matters and is currently the drafter of a report on 
the institutional aspects of the External Action Service; 
--Hannes Swoboda (Austria, S&D):  An MEP since 1996, is a 
Vice-Chairman of the socialist group and is considered as socialist 
Chairman Martin Schulz's "right arm."  He has been, and will remain, 
an active member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. He is a 
Vice-Chairman of S&D; He participated in the Department of State's 
International Visitor Program in 1989;-- Wolfgang Kreissl-Dorfler (Germany, S&D):  Also a member of the 
Foreign Affairs Committee, Kreissl-Doffler was a very active and 
U.S.-critical MEP in the EP's temporary committee on CIA flights and 
renditions; 
-- Sir Robert Atkins (UK, ECR):  A senior British conservative MEP 
who has held many ministerial posts in the past, Atkins is a 
self-described "friend of the U.S".  He told us he is very happy to 
be in the delegation as his son is currently working for 
Burston-Marsteller in Washington DC; 
--Anneli Jaatteenmaki (Finland, ALDE): Former Finnish Prime 
Minister, Jaatteenmaki resigned in 2003 under pressure over the 
accusation that she had lied to Parliament and the public over how 
she had acquired confidential Foreign Ministry documents which she 
used during the election campaign.  These documents contained 
diplomatic information from a meeting between President Georges W. 
Bush and Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen about Finland's position 
regarding the Iraq war. She was cleared of charges in 2004. She 
participated in the Department of State's International Visitor 
Program in 1995; 
-- Francisco Jose Millan Mon (Spain, EPP):  He was responsible for 
 
drafting the report on transatlantic relations in the foreign 
affairs committee in 2009 and worked closely with USEU.  He is 
likely to be an active member; 
-- Mario Mauro (Italy, EPP):  He is very influential in the EPP 
Italian team - he was chosen by Silvio Berlusconi as his candidate 
for EP President but did not manage to get the post as it was given 
to the Polish EPP Jerzy Buzek. In exchange, Mario Mauro was offered 
the post of chairman of the foreign affairs committee but he refused 
(not interested) and "gave" it to his fellow EPP/Italian MEP 
Albertini. Given his interest in Italian politics, he may not be 
very active in the U.S. delegation despite being potentially 
influential. He participated in the Department of State's 
International Visitor Program in 2003; 
-- Libor Roucek (Czech Republic, S&D): Vice-Chairman of the foreign 
affairs committee in the last legislature.  He is a dedicated and 
active MEP and may be influential in the U.S. delegation. He is 
known to be very positive towards increased U.S.-EU relations. He is 
also married to an American; 
-- Fiorello Provera(EFD, Italy):  First Vice-Chairman of the Foreign 
Affairs committee, Provera belongs to the small ultra-conservative 
and euroskeptic group EFD as a member of the Italian "Lega Nord" 
party.  His election as a first vice-chairman elicited the only 
vocal opposition during the nomination proceedings.  The socialists 
decided to abstain from the acclamation vote as a sign of protest; 
-- Tunne Kelam (Estonia, EPP):  He has been an honorary citizen of 
the State of Maryland (USA) since 1991; 
-- Marietta Giannakou (Greece, EPP): A new MEP, she is the former 
Minister for National Education and Religious Affairs of Greece. 
Despite undergoing a leg amputation last year, she came back to 
politics quickly and was elepopean elections. 
She Friendship Groups betwDreece and the United Se 
Parliaments of Poland @ey Kovatchev (Bulgaria, EPthe Bulgarian 
Nationan the European Parliamelic and Monetary Affair-------------------------ps 
 of the Committee on Econfairs are full members Canfin (France, Verts/Arship in 
 
 
the ECON committee, he is Vice-Chairman of the Special Committee on 
the Financial and Economic Crisis, a temporary committee established 
for a period of one year by the EP on October 7, 2009, for the 
purpose of analyzing the extent of the financial crisis and its 
impact on the EU. Canfin also works as a French journalist. He is 
also a shadow rapporteur for the Greens on the Alternative 
Investment Fund Managers' directive (Hedge funds and Private equity) 
that is currently being discussed by the ECON Committee; 
-- Rachida Dati (France, EPP): A controversial and iconic political 
figure in France, Dati comes from modest Algerian origins.  She was 
chosen by President Sarkozy to be Minister of Justice in 2007 but 
was pressured to quit the government in 2009 and run for the 
European elections. We are not expecting her to accomplish much 
substantive work in the EP as she already announced her intentions 
to run in the French municipal elections. She is also a member of 
the Special committee on the financial and economic crisis; 
-- Derk Jan Eppink (Belgium, ECR): Dutch national but elected as 
member of Belgian Lijst Dedecker, former member of Commissioner 
Bolkestein's Cabinet. He participated on the Department of State's 
International Visitor Program in 2007; 
-- Peter Skinner (UK, S&D): A member of the previous D-US and 
well-known for his expertise on financial markets.  During the 
previous legislature, he was the rapporteur on the Solvency II 
Directive as well as the Reinsurance Directive. He is a long-term 
valuable contact for USEU.  His wife is American and works for the 
U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Brussels; 
-- Corien Wortmann-Kool (Netherlands, EPP): Vice-President of the 
EPP Group in the European Parliament. MEP since 2004.  She was 
Deputy Director of the Dutch Transport Ministry. She is also a 
member of the Special committee on the financial and economic 
crisis. 
 
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶9. (SBU) Seven members of the Committee on Industry, Research and 
Energy sit on the D-US: 
 
-- Reinhard Butikofer (Germany, Verts/ALE): Former Chairman and 
Secretary General of the German Green Party. Newly-elected MEP; 
-- Romana Jordan Cizelj (Slovenia, EPP): Slovenian politician and 
physicist. Holds a PhD in nuclear engineering. Member of the 
Management Board and also the Secretary of the University Science 
Forum, as well as the President of the Nuclear Society of Slovenia; 
-- Judith Merkies (Netherlands, S&D): Dutch politician born in 
London. Worked as a lawyer for the EU's Education, Audiovisual and 
Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) and was Executive Manager of the 
European Music Office from 2005-2006; 
-- Claude Turmes (Luxembourg, Verts/ALE): He is one of the few MEPs 
that has genuine expertise in energy policy, having held various 
offices in the Luxembourg Ecology Movement since 1989. Secretary of 
"Friends of the Earth Europe". He has served as a member of the 
Executive Committee of the European Environmental Bureau from 1989 
to 1991 and was Vice-Chairman of the Green Group in the European 
Parliament from 2002 to 2004; 
-- Marita Ulvskog (Sweden, S&D): Former Swedish Minister for Public 
Administration from 1994 to 1996 and Minister for Culture from 1996 
to 2004. She is also a member of the Special committee on the 
financial and economic crisis; 
-- Brian Crowley (Ireland, ALDE): Irish politician from the Fianna 
Fil party and an MEP for the South constituency.  Former 
Co-President of the UEN (Europe of the Nations) group.  He stated in 
an interview with The Irish Times on 29 September 2008 that he would 
like to run for President of Ireland in 2011; 
-- Niki Tzavela (Greece, EFD): elected second vice-chairwoman of the 
D-US.  New member of the small, right-wing and euroskeptic EFD 
group. Former board member of Harvard University's Kennedy School 
and former vice-president of "Athens 2004" (Olympic Games); touted 
as someone who will be very influential in the Delegation; 
-- Catherine Trautmann (France, S&D): A substitute member of the 
Industry Committee, but worth mentioning as she is the main 
rapporteur for the Telecommunications package. Former French Culture 
Minister in the socialist Jospin government. 
 
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) The Environment Committee has four members on the D-US: 
 
-- Sergio Berlato (Italy, EPP): Former Minister for Agriculture for 
the Veneto Region.  MEP since 1999.  From 2001 to 2006 he was 
special adviser to Italian Agriculture Minister Alemanno. 
Vice-President of the Intergroup "Sustainable Hunting, Biodiversity, 
Rural Activities, Agriculture and Forestry" in the European 
Parliament; 
-- Karl-Heinz Florenz (Germany, EPP): former chairman of the 
Environment Committee and drafter of the EP report on climate 
change; 
-- Radvile Morkunaite (Lithuania, EPP): twenty-five year old MEP 
 
 
elected in 2009.  Former Chair of the Young Conservative League of 
Lithuania.  Submitted a Petition to the European Parliament in 2007 
on the environmental consequences of the Nord Stream pipeline; 
-- Bas Eickhout (Netherlands, Greens): Climate expert. While 
completing a degree in chemistry and environmental science at the 
Radboud University Nijmegen (NL) between 1994 and 2000, he did 
internships at the science store Nijmegen and in the United States. 
He has had significant experience with environmental and climate 
change issues: he has worked as a researcher at the Netherlands 
National Institute for Public Health and the Environment since 2000 
and helped in the drafting of the IPCC report on climate change. 
 
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶11. (SBU) The Internal Market Committee has two full members on the 
D-US: 
 
-- Catherine Stihler (UK, S&D): British Labour MEP for Scotland. 
Founding member of the Campaign for Parliamentary Reform. Editor of 
the Parliament Magazine since 2002; 
-- Alan Kelly (Ireland, S&D): Participated in the Citizen Exchanges 
program in 1999.  He received a Certificate in Leadership from 
Boston College, USA, in 1999. 
 
Committee on Agriculture 
------------------------ 
 
¶12. (SBU)  The Agriculture Committee has only one member sitting on 
the D-US: 
 
-- Krisztina Morvai (Hungary, NI): She is a practicing Human Rights 
lawyer, and is also an associate professor at the Budapest 
University.  She was the Hungarian member of a UN Women's Rights 
Committee and also worked for the European Commission of Human 
Rights in the 1990's. In 1993-1994 she taught law in the United 
States at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a Fulbright 
scholar. 
 
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶13. (SBU) The Civil Liberties committee has 3 full members on the 
D-US: 
 
-- Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert (Netherlands, ALDE): She is the ALDE 
coordinator in the Civil Liberties Committee.  Worked for the 
European Commission (1995-1998) and the Commission's delegation in 
Riga, Latvia (1998-2000). Political assistant to the Amsterdam City 
Council (2000-2002); 
-- Timothy Kirkhope (UK, ECR): MEP since 1999. Leader of the British 
Conservatives in the European Parliament. Former UK Under-Secretary 
of State, Lord Commissioner to the Treasury (1992), Vice-Chamberlain 
of the Household (1995); 
-- Baroness Sarah Ludford (UK, ALDE): elected first vice-chairwoman 
of the D-US, she was a vocal opponent of the Bush administration's 
war against terrorism. She is a strong advocate of data privacy and 
a strong opponent of the PNR and SWIFT agreement.  A member of the 
previous delegation, she embarrassed some other members when, during 
one of the TALD trips, she told the press that Colin Powell was "the 
only person that was not completely mad in the U.S. government; 
-- Stavros Lambrinidis (Greece, S&D): Not a full member of the Civil 
Liberties Committee, but worth mentioning here because he is 
influential, both personally and in his role as Vice-President of 
the European Parliament, where LIBE issues will be his main concern. 
A LIBE member in the previous Parliament, Lambrinidis studied in the 
U.S.: (Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in political sciences and economics 
(Amherst College, USA, 1984) and Juris Doctor (J.D.) (Yale Law 
School, USA, 1988) and worked as a lawyer with Wilmer, Cutler and 
ashington D.C. (1988-1993 
District of Colombia 1990. Served as 
speQndersecretary of Foreinister of Education. 
 
L 
-----------------------Qcommittee has 2 full mQarielle Gallo (France, Married to Max 
Gallthor and member of the AcQpporteur on the CommisisoQ 
enforcement of IPR;d, ECR): From the cons party (PiS) of Polish President Kaczynski.  Served as 
Minister of JQstice in the 2005-2007 PiS government.  Former Qublic 
Prosecutor General. Ziobro was one of the top vote getters in Poland 
in the EP elections, is close to PiS party leader Jaroslaw 
Kaczynski, and is often touted as a possible next generation leader 
 
 
of the party.  But he was controversial for what many saw as a 
politicization of his anti-corruption efforts during his tenure as 
Minister of Justice. 
 
International Trade Committee 
----------------------------- 
 
¶15. (SBU) The International Trade Committee has only 1 full member 
on the D-US: 
 
-- Helmut Scholz (Germany, GUE/NGL): Member of DIE LINKE, formerly 
active in the GDR's SED Party.  Since 2004 member of the Executive 
Board of the European Left Party and its secretariat.  Participated 
in the Department of State's International Visitor Program in 2001. 
Studied at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations 
(1974-1980), worked for the GDR Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  Was 
Domestic and Cultural Attach at the GDR Embassy in China 
(1983-1986. 
 
Budgets Committee 
----------------- 
 
¶16. (SBU) The Budgets Committee has one full member on the D-US: 
 
-- Daniel van der Stoep (Netherlands, NI): Member of Geert Wilders' 
Freedom Party.  Newly elected MEP.  Studied European and 
International Law at Leiden University. 
 
Committee on Development 
------------------------ 
 
¶17. (SBU) The Development Committee also has one representative on 
the D-US: 
 
-- Corina Cretu (Romania, S&D): She is a Romanian politician and 
journalist, having been elected as an MEP in 2007 following 
Romania's accession to the EU. She worked for President Iliescu's 
Spokesperson Office during two separate mandates (in 1992-1996 and 
in 2000-2004); between 2000 and 2004, Cretu was Presidential Advisor 
(with the rank of Minister), Presidential Spokesperson and Head of 
the Public Communication Department. She is also a member of the 
Special committee on the financial and economic crisis. 
 
Constitutional Affairs Committee 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶18. (SBU) The Constitutional Affairs Committee has five full members 
on the D-US: 
 
-- Matthias Groote (Germany, S&D): Mechanical engineer by training. 
MEP since October 2005. 
 
-- Roberto Gualtieri (Italy, S&D): Professor in Contemporary History 
at the University of Rome.  Published a number of books and articles 
on Italian history, European integration; 
-- Rafal Kazimierz Trzaskowski (Poland, EPP): Research fellow at the 
European Centre - Natolin (since 1997). PhD at the Warsaw University 
- International Relations Department. Between 2001 and 2000 was 
adviser in the political cabinet of Jacek Saryusz-Wolski - Poland's 
then Minister for European Integration; 
-- Paulo Rangel (Portugal, EPP): Head of the Portuguese delegation 
in the EPP.  Former Deputy Secretary of State for the Portuguese 
Ministry of Justice.  Former leader of the Partido Social Democrata 
in the Portuguese parliament; 
-- Jozsef Szajer (Hungary, EPP): Vice-Chairman of the EPP.  Lawyer. 
Former member of the European Convention.  Knight Commander of St 
Michael and St George - Queen Elizabeth II.  . He was a Research 
Fellow at the University of Michigan from 1988 to 1989. 
 
Fisheries Committee 
------------------- 
 
¶19. (SBU) There is only one member of the Fisheries Committee in the 
D-US: 
 
-- Catherine Trautmann (France, S&D): See ITRE committee. 
 
Committee on Culture and Education 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶20. (SBU) The Culture and Education Committee has two full members 
on the D-US: 
 
-- Maria Badia i Cutchet (Spain, S&D): Vice-Chairwoman of the S&D 
Group.  Catalan. Former English language teacher.  Former Secretary 
for European and International Policy in the Catalan Socialist Party 
(PSC); 
-- Marietje Schaake (Netherlands, ALDE): Originally from Leiden, she 
attended college in the United States, pursuing a Liberal Arts 
 
 
degree at Wittenburg University in Ohio. Schaake was later granted 
the Lantos Fellowship of the United States House of Representatives, 
where she focused on international relations and human rights 
issues. She also served as an independent advisor to the United 
States Ambassador to the Netherlands and to the president of the 
Leadership Conference on Civil Rights in Washington, DC. Schaake 
specialized in topics like transatlantic relations, diversity, 
integration, civil rights and Muslims in the West. 
 
Employment and Social Affairs Committee 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶21. (SBU) The Employment Committee has 2 full members on the D-US: 
 
-- Marian Harkin (Ireland, ALDE): Former Mathematics Teacher and 
former Member of Irish Parliament.  Harkin met with then Senator 
Hillary Clinton in 2007 to lobby on behalf of undocumented Irish 
immigrants.  MEP since 2004; 
-- Elisabeth Morin-Chartier (France, EPP): Member of the 
Viticulture-Tradition-Quality Intergroup.  Former history and 
geography teacher.  Held various positions in the field of education 
policy.  Former member of the French Economic and Social Council. 
MEP since 2009. 
 
Committee on Regional Development 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶22. (SBU) The Regional Development Committee has 3 full members on 
the D-US: 
 
-- Danuta Maria Hubner (Poland, EPP): Former Commissioner for 
Regional Policy.  Professor of Economics.  As Minister for European 
Affairs she prepared Poland's accession to the EU.  She was a 
Fulbright scholar at Berkeley University of California from 1988 to 
1990; 
-- Sean Kelly (Ireland, EPP): Former teacher, from a farming 
background.  Former President of the Gaelic Athletic Association and 
former Executive Chairman of the Irish Institute of Sport; 
 
-- Viktor Uspaskich (Lithuania, ALDE): Born in 1959 in northern 
Russia.  Studied at the Moscow Academy of National Economy.  With 
his company, he was involved in the construction of a number of 
international natural gas and oil pipelines.  Former President of 
the Lithuanian Business Employers' Confederation.  Daughter Julia 
from his first marriage studied at the University of Washington. 
 
Committee on Petitions 
---------------------- 
 
¶23. (U) The Petitions Committee has only one member on the D-US: 
 
-- Judith A. Merkies (Netherlands, S&D): See ITRE committee 
 
Subcommittee on Security and Defence 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶24. (U) The SEDE committee has 4 full members on the D-US: 
 
-- Tunne Kelam (Estonia, EPP): See AFET committee; 
-- Andrey Kovatchev (Bulgaria, EPP): See AFET committee; 
-- Reinhard Butikofer (Germany, Verts/ALE): See ITRE committee; 
-- Roberto Gualtieri (Italy, S&D): See AFCO committee. 
 
Subcommittee on Human Rights 
---------------------------- 
 
¶25. (U) The Human Rights Subcommittee has one representative on the 
D-US: 
 
-- Marietta Giannakou (Greece, EPP): See AFET committee 
 
¶26. (U) Notably, the Transport Committee, the Budgetary Control 
Committee, and the Women's Rights Committee do not have any of their 
members on the D-US. 
 
------------------------------------------- 
Nationality and Political Group Affiliation 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶27. (U) The division of seats in the D-US according to nationality 
is not proportionate to the composition of the full EP membership. 
The number of D-US members coming from the same member state seems 
to be more influenced by the 'transatlantic orientation' of a 
particular member state than by the size of its national delegation 
in the EP.  For instance, together with the German MEPs on the D-US, 
the Dutch members hold six of the fifty-three seats in the D-US, 
while in the entire parliament, the Dutch only hold twenty-five of 
the seven-hundred and thirty-six EP seats (= 3.4 percent).  These 
member states are followed by the UK and France, which each have 
 
 
five seats on the Delegation.  Four members have Italian nationality 
and four are Irish.  The Polish and the Greek EP delegations each 
have three members in the D-US, while Hungary, Spain and Lithuania 
each have two.  Finland, Estonia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, 
Austria, Belgium, Slovenia, Luxembourg, Sweden, Romania and Portugal 
all have one MEP on the Delegation. 
 
¶28. (U) As could be expected, the division of seats on the D-US 
according to political group membership does mirror the composition 
of the full parliament (seats are allocated to political groups 
using the "d'Hondt system", which ensures proportional 
representation).  The center-right EPP holds nineteen seats on the 
Delegation, the S&D group fourteen, the Liberal-Democrats (ALDE) 
seven, the Greens four, the European Conservatives also four, the 
Euroskeptic EFD two and the United European Left (former Communists) 
one. 
 
--------------------------- 
USG Exchange Program Alumni 
--------------------------- 
 
¶29. (U) Eight members of the D-US are alumni of the Department of 
State's exchange programs: 
 
DERK-JAN EPPINK; 
DANUTA HUBNER; 
ANNELI JDDTTEENMDKI; 
ALAN KELLY; 
MARIO MAURO; 
KRISZTINA MORVAI; 
HELMUT SCHOLZ; 
HANNES SWOBODA. 
 
MURRAY