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Member of the European Parliament (since 1980). EP's representative in the Council`s Reflection Group preparing for the reform of the Maastricht Treaty. EP's representative at the Intergovernmental Conference in Amsterdam 1996/97 and at Nice 2000. EP's representative at the Intergovernmental Conference on the EU-Constitution (2003/2004). EPP Coordinator in the EU-Constitutional Convention (Voted "Mr Convention" after a poll taken amongst members of the Convention, Academics and Journalists). EP's representative at the intergovernmental conference for the EU Constitutional Treaty (2003/2004). Reporter in Chief on the Enlargement (1999-2004). |
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Career: Studies of Law and Political Science, amongst others at the "Centre of European Governmental Studies", University of Edinburgh. Radio and newspaper journalist, Senior Vice President, Media Development, Bertelsmann AG. Federal Vice-Chairman of the Junge Union Deutschland (1973-1981). Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the Democrat Youth Committee of Europe (DEMYC) (1977 - 1981). Deputy chairman of the International Democrat Union (IDU, 1991-2003). Member of the CDU Board Northrine-Westfalia (since 1994). |
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Chairman of the CDU district Ostwestfalen-Lippe (since 1996). Chairman of the CDU Federal Advisory Committee on Foreign and Security Policy (1989-1999). Chairman of the CDU Federal Advisory Committee on European Policy (since 1999). President of the European Union of Christian-Democratic Workers (EUCDW, since 2002 [1993-2002: Vice-President]). Member of the CDU Federal Board (since 2004) and the Federal Committee. |
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Member of the EPP-ED political bureau. Member of the EPP board. President of Europa-Union Deutschland. |
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Deputy Chairman of the Europäische Bewegung Deutschlands. Deputy Chairman of the Transatlantic Policy Network Parliamentary Group. Deputy Member of the Committee on European Union Affairs in the Deutsche Bundestag. |
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Honours: First Class Federal Cross of Merit. Grand Golden Medal of Honour of the Republic of Austria |
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"Commander of the Gregorius-Order" presented by Pope John Paul II in Nov. 2002. Order of Merit of the Grand Officer of Luxembourg. Board member of the Oxford Council on Good Governance Dr Alois Mock Prize for "European of the Year" in Austria, 2003. "MEP of the Year 2003", after a Europe-wide vote, organised by "European Voice" |