(17/07/2019)
Dear European Commission President appointee Von der Leyen,
We are writing in our capacity as MEPs and Co-Presidents and Vice-Presidents of our respective Intergroups to congratulate you on your appointment as President of the European Commission.
As representatives of the European Parliament Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup and the European Parliament Intergroup on LGBTI rights, we would also like to express our willingness to work together and build a strong working relationship to realise the ambitions of your Presidency of the European Commission.
Within that spirit, we would like to request a meeting with you to discuss at the beginning of our respective mandates how:
• Our institutions and offices can work together to promote diversity and inclusion through concrete legislation, policies and strategies;
• To actualise your commitment to new anti-discrimination legislation as stated in the political guidelines document outlining your agenda for Europe;
• To ensure in practical terms how we can improve diversity in the workplace and the Institutions given as you correctly stated that we “can only reach our full potential if we use all of our talent and diversity” and that ”we cannot afford to leave any potential behind.”
We look forward to your response and potential dates for meeting in the week of 2nd of September.
Yours sincerely,
Co-Presidents and Vice-Presidents of European Parliament Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup and European Parliament Intergroup on LGBTI Rights *
Cornelia Ernst MEP
Evin Incir MEP
Hilde Vautmans MEP
Magid Magid MEP
Malin Bjork MEP
Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana MEP
Romeo Franz MEP
Samira Rafaela MEP
Sophie in’t Veld MEP
Tanja Fajon MEP
Terry Reintke MEP