Estefanía Torres Martínez (GUE/NGL, ES) has officially joined the European Parliament as of 25 March and joined the environment, public health and food safety committee.
In delegation news Urmas Paet (ALDE, EE) has joined the delegation for relations with Afghanistan (D-AF) and the delegation for relations with the Korean Peninsula (DKOR). Fernando Maura Barandiarán (ALDE, ES) has joined the Delegation to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (DLAT), while Estefanía Torres Martínez (GUE/NGL, ES) joined the delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China (D-CN).
At national level, Monica Macovei (EPP, RO) has become an independent, while Cristian Dan Preda (EPP, RO) has left from the People’s Movement Party (PMP) and will also now sit as an independent. Janice Atkinson (EFDD, UK) has been expelled from UKIP, but remains a member of the EFDD Group.
Meanwhile, in the EPP, Tom Vandenkendelaere (BE) has been appointed as chair of the group's young members network. And finally, a new interest group on asthma and allergy has been launched under the leadership of Sirpa Pietikäinen (EPP, FI).