‘Hemicycle Views’: Interviewing MEP Julie Girling (EPP)

In 2009 Julie Girling was elected Conservative MEP representing South West England and Gibraltar. Today she sits within the Group of the European People’s Party (EPP). During her 10 years in the European Parliament Girling has held positions such as chief whip of the Conservatives in the European Parliament and UK spokesman for agriculture – a sector in which she has been very influential.

Girling is a notable member of the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee (ENVI). She has made a real difference to policy on air quality and the European emissions trading system (ETS).

Watch also: Our last interview with MEP Elisabetta Gardini

In this interview Girling gives her perspective, as an MEP from the UK, on the role played and perceived by the European Parliament during the Brexit process.

As part of our ‘Hemicycle Views’ videos, we asked her:

1. After 10 years in the European Parliament, how do you perceive its role?
2. How do you think the role of the European Parliament is generally perceived?
3. How do you observe the role of MEP’s in the last phase of the discussions around Brexit?
4. What might be the impact of Brexit for policies on which the UK had a leading role such as climate change or chemicals?
5. What file have you worked on that made a big difference to the life of citizens and business?