Background information : 26-08-99

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V.     Results of the vote on the nomination of Mr Prodi

VI.     Questionnaires and replies

VII.     The Santer Commission: Vote on the nomination of Jacques Santer
Vote of approval of the nominated Commission
    
VIII.     Provisions of the Treaty of Amsterdam and of
    Parliament's Rules of Procedure relating to the
    appointment of the European Commission

IX.     The Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of the
    Parliamentary Committees

The Santer Commission resigned collectively on 15 March 1999 following the Committee of Independent Experts' report on mismanagement, fraud and nepotism. On 24 March 1999, Mr Romano PRODI was nominated as the new President of the Commission by the Berlin European Council.

The nominee for President of the Commission needs to be approved by the EP according to the provisions of Article 214 of the EC Treaty; the President and the other proposed Members of the Commission are then subject as a body to a vote of approval by the EP. Before the final vote occurs the nominee Commissioners are requested to appear before the appropriate EP Committees according to their prospective fields of responsibility, and to make a statement and to answer questions (Rule 33 of the EP's Rules of Procedure). The practice of holding confirmation hearings for proposed Commissioners was first used for the Santer Commission in January 1995. EP confirmation hearings have also been held for nominees to the European Court of Auditors, for the Presidency of the European Monetary Institute and for the Presidency and Executive Board of the European Central Bank.

Which Commission will the EP be voting for in September?

The outgoing Parliament's approval of Mr Prodi as President-elect of the Commission (in its resolution of May 1999) was limited to the unfinished part of Mr Santer's term of office. Parliament will thus be formally voting in September for the Commission which is to last until the beginning of 2000. The new Parliament will then have to re- confirm Mr Prodi as President-elect of the so-called "Millennium Commission" from 2000-2005, and to take a second formal decision on the Millennium Commission as a whole before the end of 1999.

What are the main objectives of the hearings?

The main objectives of the hearings are to prepare the way for the final EP vote on the Commission as a whole by providing insights into the personalities and views of the various nominees. The hearings process also helps to strengthen the democratic accountability and legitimacy of the Commission, and in case of approval of the Commission, to establish a working relationship between Parliament's committees and the relevant Commissioner at the earliest possible moment. Finally, they also serve as an initial benchmark for examining the subsequent performance of the Commissioner concerned.

What will be the outcome of the hearings?

At the end of each hearing the committee or committees concerned will hold an " in camera" session of 45 minutes to evaluate the performance of each nominee. After the 1995 Santer Commisssion hearings, letters were sent out by each committee chairman to the President of Parliament who then published them and held a press conference. It is expected that a similar procedure will be adopted on the present occasion. As before, the EP committees will not take formal votes after each hearing since the EP has no power to reject individual nominees. Negative evaluations of individual Commissioners will however be taken into account when the EP votes on the Commission as a whole. Before the EP votes the President of Parliament may also ask the President-elect of the Commission to make adjustments to his original proposals, such as by making alterations to prospective portfolios. If there are too many negative individual performances the EP may, of course, then decide to reject the Commission as a whole. The EP vote on the Commission is expected to take place during the plenary session in Strasbourg from 13-17 September.

What else will the EP be looking for when it votes on the Commission as a whole?

Besides looking at the personalities, views and experience of the nominees, the EP will also be reviewing the proposed structure of the Commission as a whole, such as whether the portfolios are the most appropriate ones, whether there are too many overlaps between them and how they fit in with the structure of the Commission's directorates-general. Finally, the EP will also be looking at the Commission's proposed overall policy programme (which Mr Prodi will present in September) and whether the most appropriate policy priorities are being put forward.

Pedro SOLBES MIRA                         Economic
Commissioner for Economic                     Delegation: Employment
and Monetary Affairs                        
    
Poul NIELSON                             Development
Commissioner for Development                Delegation: Foreign Affairs
and Humanitarian Aid                                    

Günter VERHEUGEN                         Foreign Affairs
Commissioner for Enlargement                Delegation: Agriculture

Christopher PATTEN                         Foreign Affairs
Commissioner for External Relations        Delegations: Development, Industry

Pascal LAMY                                 Industry
Commissioner for Trade                        Delegations: Foreign Affairs,
                                        Development, Agriculture

David BYRNE                             Environment
Commissioner for Health and                    Delegations: Agriculture, Legal
Consumer Protection    

Michel BARNIER                             Constitutional/Regional
Commissioner for Regional Policy and         
the Intergovernmental Conference

Viviane REDING                             Culture
Commissioner for Education and Culture        Delegations: Citizens' Freedoms, Employment

Michaele SCHREYER                             Budgets
Commissioner for Budget                     Delegation: Budgetary Control

Margot WALLSTRÖM                        Environment
Commissioner for Environment                Delegation: Industry

Antonio VITORINO                            Citizens' Freedoms
Commissioner for Justice and Home        Delegations: Women's Rights,
Affairs                                    Petitions, Budgetary Control
                    
Anna DIAMANTOPULOU                    Employment
Commissioner for Employment and            Delegations: Women's Rights,
Social Affairs                                Economic, Citizens' Freedoms

Romano Prodi
President-elect

Nationality: Italian

Personal details
Born on 9 August 1939 in Scandiano (Reggio Emilia), Italy
Married, two sons

Education
Degree in Law, Catholic University of Milan
Postgraduate studies at the London School of Economics

Academic career
1963-1971    Assistant in Political Economics at the University of Bologna

        1971-1999    Professor of Industrial Organisation and     Indus trial Polic y at the Univ ersity of Bolo gna
        
        1963-1964    Researcher at the Lombard Institute of     Econ omic and Socia l Studi es (ILSE S)
        
        1968        Researcher at Stanford Research Institute
        
        1973-1974    Professor of Economics and Industrial Politics      at the Free University of Trento
        
        1974        Visiting Professor at Harvard University

Political career
        1978-1979    Minister for Industry
        
        1982-1989    Chairman of the Institute for Industrial Reconstruction (IRI)
        
        1993-1994    Re-appointed Chairman of the Institute for      Industrial Reconstruction (IRI)
        
        1995        Chairman of the Ulivo, the centre-left coalition
        
        1996-1999    Member of Parliament
        
        1996-1998    President of the Council of Ministers of the      Italian Republic
        1999        President-elect of the European Commission

2. Profiles of the prospective Commissioners

Neil Kinnock

Nationality: British 

Personal details
Born on 28 March 1942 in Tredegar, South Wales, United Kingdom
Married, two children

Education
BA in industrial relations and history (Cardiff); postgraduate Diploma in Education

        Career
        1966-70     Tutor, Organizer in industrial policy and trade union studies for the Workers' Educational Association
        
Political career
        1970     Labour Member of Parliament for Bedwellty and Islwyn in South Wales
        
        1970-79     Variously member of the House of Commons Public Expenditure Select Committee, Nationalized Industries Select Committee and European Legislation Select Committee

        1974-75     Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Employment

1979     Labour's Chief Opposition Spokesperson on Education

1980     Elected member of Labour's Shadow Cabinet

                1978-94     Member of the National Executive Committee of
        the Labour Party

1988     Chairman of the National Executive Committee

1983     Privy Councillor

1983-92     Leader of the Labour Party
                Vice-President of the Socialist International
        Member of the Commission
        Transport (including trans-European networks)

1995-1999    Member of the Commission with responsibility             for Transport

Education
Law degree, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Career
1979-1982    Technical Secretary-General of Federation of Press Associations

1977-1978    First General President of Nuevas Generaciones

1986-1989    Senator (Vice-president of the Popular Group)

1988-1989    Member of PP national Executive Committee

1996-1999    Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

Personal details
Born on 19 March 1943 in Varese, Italy
Married, two children

Education
Degree in economics and management, Bocconi University, Milan
Graduate studies at Yale University, USA

Academic career
1965-69    Assistant at Bocconi University

1969-70    Associate professor at the University of Trento
1970-79     Professor at the University of Turin
        Professor of Monetary Theory and Policy at Bocconi University
        1985-94    Professor of Economics and Director of Institute of Economics at Bocconi University
1985        Founded the Paolo Baffi Centre for Monetary and Financial         Economics at Bocconi University
        1989    Founded the Innocenzo Gasparini Institute of Economic Research at Bocconi University, in cooperation with CEPR (London) and NBER (Cambridge, Mass.)
1989-94    Rector of Bocconi University
1994        President of Bocconi University

Professionnal Career
1978-94     Economic commentator for Corriere della Sera
1979-94     Member of various company boards
1981     Rapporteur of the Treasury Committee on savings protection
        1981-82     Chairman of the Treasury Committee on the Banking and Financial System
1982-85    Chairman of the European University Society of Financial         Research
        1985-86    Member of the Macroeconomic Policy Group set up by European Commission and CEPS
1987-88    Member of the Competition Act drafting committee
1988-89    Member of the Treasury Committee on Debt Management
1988-90    Member of the working party preparing Italy for the single         market
1989-91    Member of the Treasury Committee on Banking Law Reform
1995        Member of the European Commission

Franz Fischler

Nationality: Austrian

Personal details
Born in 1946
Married, four children

Education

1978        Doctorate as Dr rer.nat. oec. - University for Soil Science, Vienna.
    Studies in agriculture: practical work during university studies on a mixed holding in Austria (horticulture/pig enterprise), and two- month traineeship on a dairy farm at Nyköping, Sweden.

Professional Career
        1973-1979    University assistant at the Department of Regional Agricultural Planning, Institute for Farm Management in Vienna. Research leader on several research projects; worked on university training farms; member of various official working parties
        
        1979-1984    Tyrol Chamber of Agriculture responsible for culture and education, land use planning, environmental protection and various other matters
        
1985-1989    Director of the Chamber of Agriculture

Political Career
1989-1994    Federal Minister of Agriculture and Forestry

1990-1994    Member of the National Parliament (Nationalrat)

Personal details
Born in 1950
Married, two children

Education
Masters degree in political science (political economy), University of Helsinki

Political career
        1972-90     Member of Parliament; member of Cultural Affairs Committee (1972-75), Agriculture and Forestry Committee (Vice-Chairman) (1977-79), Foreign Affairs Committee (member 1975-82; Chairman 1983-87)
1973-84     Member of Mikkeli Town Council
1978, 82, 88    Elector of the President of the Republic
1979-86    Vice-Chairman then Chairman, Regional Policy Council
1979-87     Member of Nordic Council
1980-89     Member then Chairman of Supervisory Board of Outokumpu
1981-87     Secretary-General of the Social Democratic Party
1983-87     Parliamentary Commissioner to the Bank of Finland (Vice-         Chairman)
        Speaker's Council
1987-90     Minister of Finance
        1987-90     Minister at the Ministry of the Interior, with responsibility for regional policy; member of Foreign Affairs Committee, Finance Committee and Economic and Budgetary Policy Committee; Chairman of Regional Policy and Tax Reform Committees
        1990     Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Head of Finnish Mission to the European Union
1995 -    Member of the Commission with responsibility for Budget,         Personnel and Administration; Translation and In-house Computer Services

Frederik (Frits) Bolkestein

Nationality: Dutch

Personal details
Born in 1933
Married, three children

Education
Barlaeus Gymnasium, Amsterdam
1951 - 1953    Oregon State College, USA - mathematics

1955 - 1959    Gemeentelijke Universiteit Amsterdam - mathematics and physics, philosophy and Greek

1964            Economics (first part) - University of London

1965            Master at Law - University of Leiden

Professional Career
        1960 -1976        Shell Group: Posts in East Africa, Honduras, El Salvador, London, Indonesia and Paris
        
1973 - 1976    Director, Shell Chimie, Paris

Political Career
1978 - 1982     Member of Parliament for the V.V.D. (Liberals)

        1986 _ 1988    Idem

        1989 - 1999     Idem

1982-1986        Minister for Foreign Trade

1986-1988        Chairman Atlantic Commission (in the Netherlands)

1988 _ 1989    Minister of Defence

1990 _ 1998    Chairman of the V.V.D. Parliamentary Group

Since 1996        President of Liberal Internationale

Other details
Chairman of the Amsterdam Bach Soloists
Member of the Royal Institute of International Affairs (London)
Author of books and articles on a wide range of topics

Philippe Busquin

Nationality: Belgian

Personal details
Born on 6 January 1941 in Feluy (Belgium)
Married

Education
        1962    Degree in Science (Physics) - Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) (Free University of Brussels)

        1971    Candidature in Philosophy (ULB)

        1976    Postgraduate studies in Environment _ Ecological guidance, the natural environment, polluted environments (ULB)

Academic career
        1962-1977    Assistant lecturer in Physics, Faculty of Medicine (ULB)

        1962-1977    Teacher at the Nivelles Teachers' Training College

        1978-1980    Chairman of the Board of Directors of IRE
            (Institut de Radioélément)
    
        Political career
        1977-1978    Ordinary Member for the Province of Hainaut

        1978-1995    Member of the House of Representatives of Belgium

        1980-1981    Member of the Community Executive

        1980    Minister of National Education

        1981    Minister of Home Affairs

        1982-1985    Minister of the Budget and Energy, Wallonia

        1988    Minister of Economic Affairs, Wallonia

        1988-1992    Minister of Social Affairs

        Since 1992    President of the Socialist Party

        Since 1992    Vice-President of Socialist International

        Since 1992    Minister of State

        1995-1997    Vice-President of the European Socialist Party (ESP)

        Since 1995    Mayor of Seneffe

        Since 1995    Senator

        Juin 1999    Elected to the European Parliament
        

Personal details
Born on 31 August 1942 in Pinoso (Alicante)

        Education
Doctorate of Political Sciences, University of Madrid
Bachelor of law, University of Madrid
Diploma in European Economics, Université Libre de Bruxelles

        
Career
1968    Civil servant, Ministry of Foreign Trade
        
        1973    Commercial Counsellor, Spanish Mission to the European Community

        1978    Special Adviser to Minister for Relations with the European Community
        
        1979 - 1982    Director General of Commercial Policy, Ministry of Economics and Trade
        
        1982 - 1985    General Secretary, Ministry of Economics and Finance. Member of task force for Spanish accession negociations to the European Community
        
        1989    President of Internal Market Council during first Spanish Presidency of EC
        
        1985    Secretary of State for Relations with the EC
        
        1991-1993    Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries
        
        1993-1996    Minister of Economics and Finance
        
        1995    President of Ecofin Council during Spanish Presidency of EU
        
        1996    Member of the Spanish Parliament
        
        1996    President, Joint Committee of the Spanish Parliament on the European Union
        

        Other details
Visiting Professor at the University of Alicante
    

Poul Nielson

Nationality: Danish

Personal details
Born in 1943
Married, two children

Education
1961        US High School Diploma

1972        Master of Political Science, University of Arhus

1985-1986    Assistant professor, Danish School of Public Administration

Political career
1966-1967    Chairman of national Social Democratic students organisation

        1965-1979    Member of Social Democratic Foreign Affairs Committee (Chairman 1974-1979)

1977-1979    Chairman of Danish European Movement

1971-73     Member of Danish Parliament

1977-1984 idem

1986-1999    idem

1979        Chairman of parliamentary Commerce Committee

1979-1982    Minister of Energy

1994-1999 Minister for Development Cooperation

Professional career
1974-1979    Head of Section, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

1984-1985    idem

1988-1994    CEO of LD-Energy Inc.

Günter Verheugen

Nationality: German

Personal details
Born on 28 April 1944 in Bad Kreuznach
Married

Education
1963 - 1965     Trainee at the Neue Rhein-Neue Ruhr-Zeitung newspaper

1965 - 1969    Studied history, sociology and politics in Cologne and Bonn

Career
        1969 - 1974     Head of the Public Relations Division at the Federal Ministry of the Interior
        
        1974 - 1976    Head of the Analysis and Information task force at the Federal Foreign Office
        
        1977 - 1978    Federal Party Manager of the Free Democratic Party (FDP)
        
        1978 - 1982     General Secretary of the FDP
        
1982    Joined the Social Democratic party of Germany (SPD)

        1983 - 1999    Member of the German Bundestag
        
        1983 _ 1998    Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, German Bundestag
        
1986 - 1987    Spokesman for the SPD National Executive

1987 - 1989    Editor-in-chief of Vorwärts, the SPD newspaper

        1990 - 1999    Chairman of the radio broadcasting council of Deutsche Welle
        
        1992 -    Chairman, European Union special committee, Bundestag
        
        1993 - 1995    Federal Party Manager of the SPD
        
        1994 - 1997    Deputy Chairman of the SPD parliamentary group for foreign, security and development policy
    Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee

        1997 -    Chairman of the Socialist International Peace, Security and Disarmament Council
        
            Member of the SPD National Executive    
        
1998 _ 1999     Minister of State, Federal Foreign Office

Christopher Patten

Nationality: British

Personal details
Born in 1944
Married, three children

Education
St. Benedict's School, Ealing

Balliol College, Oxford (BA Hons. and MA Hons. in Modern History).

1965            Coolidge Travelling Scholarship, USA.

Political career

1966            Conservative Research Department

1970 - 1972    Political Advisor, Cabinet Office,

1972            Political Advisor, Home Office

1974 - 1979    Director, Conservative Research Department

1979 - 1992    Member of Parliament for Bath

1983 - 1985    Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office

1985 - 1986    Minister of State, Department of Education and Science

1986 - 1989    Minister for Overseas Development

1989 - 1990    Secretary of State for the Environment

        1990 - 1992    Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Chairman of          the Conservative Party

1992 - 1997    Governor of Hong Kong

        1998 - 1999    Chairman of Independent Commission on Policing for              Northern Ireland

1999-         Chancellor of Newcastle University

Other details
Author of The Tory Case, 1983 and East and West, 1999.

Pascal Lamy

Nationality: French

Personal details
Born in 1947

Education
Advanced Business Studies College (Hautes Etudes Commerciales)
School of Political Sciences
Senior Civil Service College (Ecole Nationale d'Administration)

Professional career
        1975 _ 1979    Inspectorate-General of Finances
        
        1979-1981    Treasury
        
        1981-1983    Advisor to Minister for Economic Affairs and Finance, Jacques Delors
        
1983 _ 1984    Deputy Head of Prime Minister Pierre Mauroy's Private     Office

        1985-1994    Head of the Private Office of the President of the European Commission, Jacques Delors. Special aide for G7 summits
        
        1994    Member of the team responsible for overseeing the recovery of Crédit Lyonnais
        
        Since 1999    Director-general, Crédit Lyonnais

    
         Political career
1985 _ 1994    Member of the Socialist Party Steering Committee

Since 1995        Member of the office of the European Movement (France)

David Byrne

Nationality: Irish

Personal details
Born on 26 April 1947
Married, three children

Education
Monasterevan CBS, Co Kildare
Dominican College, Newbridge, Co. Kildare
University College Dublin (BA)
King's Inns Dublin (Barrister-at-Law, SC)

Career
1970        Called to the Bar

1974-1987    Member Bar Council

1974-1992    Member Executive Committee, Irish Maritime Law Association

1982-1983    Hon. Treasurer Bar Council

1985        Called to Inner Bar

1988-1997    Member, National Committee, International Chamber of         Commerce

1989        Member of Government Review Body on Social Welfare Law

1990-1997    Member, ICC International Court of Arbitration, Paris

1995-1996    Member Constitution Review Group

1995-1997    Extern Examiner for arbitration and competition law, King's Inns

1995-1997    Member Barristers' Professional Practices and Ethics Committee

1997-1999    Attorney General
        Member of the Council of State
        Member of Cabinet Subcommittees on Social Inclusion, on European Affairs, and on Child Abuse
        
Other details
Author of various publications on legal affairs

Michel Barnier

Nationality: French

Personal details
Born on 9 January 1951
Married, three children

Education
Primary and secondary school in Albertville (Savoie)

1972        Diploma from the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Paris         (Paris Business College)

Career
1973-1978    Private Office of the Ministers for the Environment, Youth and         Sport, and for Trade and Craft Industries

1973-    Departmental councillor for Savoie, canton of Bourg-Saint-         Maurice

1978-1993 Member of the National Assembly (RPR.) for Savoie, 2nd         constituency (Albertville)

1982-    Chairman of the Departmental Council of Savoie

1987-1992 Co-President, Organising Committee for the XVIth Olympic         Games, Albertville and Savoie

1993-1995 Minister of the Environment

1995-1997 Minister of State for European Affairs

1997-    Senator for Savoie

        1997-    Chairman of the French Association of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions

1998-    President of the Senate Delegation for the European Union

Other details
Author of Vive la politique, 1985; Le défi écologique, chacun pour tous, 1990; L'Atlas des risques majeurs, 1992; Vers une mer inconnue, 1994

        Viviane Reding

Nationality: Luxembourgeoise

Personal details
Born on 27 April 1951 in Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
Married, three children

Education
Doctor of human sciences, Sorbonne, Paris

Professional career
1978         Journalist and editor, Luxemburger Wort

1986 _ 1998    President, Luxembourg Union of Journalists

Political career
1979-1989     Member of Luxembourg Parliament
        
1981-1999     Member of Esch town council
        
1988-1993     National president of Christian-Social Women

1989-1999     Member of the European Parliament
        
1995     Vice president, PCS (Parti Chrétien-Social)

Michaele Schreyer

Nationality: German

Personal details
Born on 9 September 1951 in Cologne

Education
1970 -1976    Economics and sociology - University of Cologne

        1983 doctorate    PhD thesis: Transfer policy and fiscal federalism - problems of the allocation of responsibilities
        
Academic career
        1977-1982    Research assistant, Institute for public finances and social policy of the Free University of Berlin
        
        1983 - 1987     Research assistant and adviser for green caucus in federal parliament (Bundestag)
        
        1987-1988    Researcher, Institute for Economic Research (IFO)
        
        
        Political career
        1989-1990    Minister for urban development and environmental protection in the state government (senate) of Berlin
        
        Since 1991     Member of the Berlin Parliament (Abgeordnetenhaus), spokeswoman for financial policy
        
        1998    Chairwoman of green caucus; lectureship at the Free University; chairperson of Berlin branch of the German society for the United Nations

Margot Wallström

Nationality: Swedish

Personal details
Born on 28 September 1954
Married, two children

Education
1973    Graduated from high school

Career
1974-1977    Ombudsman, Swedish Social Democratic Youth League

1977-1979    Accountant, Alfa Savings Bank, Karlstad

1979-1985    Member of Parliament

1986-1987    Senior Accountant, Alfa Savings bank, Karlstad

1988-1991    Minister of Civil Affairs (Consumer Affairs, Women and Youth)

1993-1994    CEO, TV Värmland (Regional Television Network)

        1993-    Member of the Executive Committee of the Swedish Social Democratic Party
        
        1994-1996    Minister of Culture
        
        1996-1998    Minister of Social Affairs
        
        1998-1999    Executive Vice-president, Worldview Global Media, Colombo, Sri Lanka

António Vitorino

Nationality: Portugese

Personal details
Born on 12 January 1957 in Lisbon
Married, two children

Education
1981    Graduated in law, Lisbon Law School

1986    Master in Law and Political Science, Lisbon Law School

Academic and Professional Career
1982    Lawyer and Juridical Assistant

        1982    Assistant Professor, Lisbon Law School
        
        1986    Professor, Lisbon Autonomous University

1989-1994    Judge, Portuguese Constitutional Court

1998-1999    Vice-president, Portugal Telecom Internacional

1998-1999     Chairman of General Assembly, Banco Santander Portugal
    
1998-1999    Professor, International University
    
        Political Career
        1980 -    Member of Parliament
        
        1980-1984    Member of Joint European Parliament/Portuguese Parliament Committee on European Integration
        
1984-1985    Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs
        
        1985 - 1986    Chairman, Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Affairs and Civil Rights

        1986 - 1987    Secretary of State for Administration and Justice of Macao Government
        
        1987 - 1989    Representative of President Mario Soares, Sino- Portuguese Joint Liaison group on Macao

        1994    Member of the European Parliament
            Chairman of Civil Liberties and Internal Affairs Committee
        
        1995 - 1997    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence
        
Other details
Author of several books on European affairs, constitutional law and political science.

Anna Diamantopoulou

Nationality: Greek

Personal details
Born in 1959 in Kozani, Greece
Married, one child

Education
1976-1981    Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (School of Civil Engineering)

        1991-1993     Panteion University of Athens (Postgraduate Studies in Regional Development)

Professional Career
1981-1985    Civil engineer

1983-1985    Lecturer, Institutes of Higher Technological Education

1989-1993    Managing Director of regional development company

Political Career
1985-1986    Prefect of Kastoria

1987-1988    Secretary-General for Adult Education

1988-1989    Secretary-General for Youth

1991-1999    Member of the Central Committee of PASOK

        1993-1994    President of the Hellenic Organisation of Small and Medium- Sized Enterprises and Handicrafts (EOMMEX)

1994-1996    Secretary-General for Industry

1996-1999    Member of Parliament for Kozani

1996-1999    Deputy Minister for Development

Other details
Member of FORUM for the cooperation of Balkan peoples
Member of International Women's Network

Results of the roll call vote:

392	Ja-stemmer Ja-Stimmen ÕðÝñ For A favor Puolesta Pour Favorevoli Voor A favor Ja-Röster

ERA:    Dary, Escolá Hernando, Hudghton, Lalumière, Maes, Posada González, Saint-Pierre, Weber

ELDR:    André-Léonard, Bertens, Boogerd-Quaak, Brinkhorst, Caligaris, Cars, Cox, De Clercq, Eisma, Fassa, Frischenschlager, Gasòliba i Böhm, Goedbloed, Goerens, Haarder, Kestelijn-Sierens, Kjer Hansen, Kofoed, Larive, Mulder, Neyts-Uyttebroeck, Nordmann, Olsson, Plooij-van Gorsel, Pohjamo, Riis-Jørgensen, Ryynänen, Spaak, Teverson, Thors, Väyrynen, Vallvé, Virrankoski, Watson, Wiebenga, Wijsenbeek

EUL/NGL:    Carnero González, Castellina, Manisco

Ind:        Amadeo, Cellai, Farassino, Muscardini

EPP:        Anastassopoulos, Añoveros Trias de Bes, Argyros, Arias Cañete, Azzolini, Baldi, Baldini, Banotti, Bardong, Bébéar, Bennasar Tous, Berend, Bianco, Böge, Bourlanges, Brok, Burenstam Linder, Burtone, Camisón Asensio, Campoy Zueco, Carlsson, Casini Pier Ferdinando, Cassidy, Castagnetti, Cederschiöld, Chanterie, Christodoulou, Coelho, Colombo Svevo, Cornelissen, Costa Neves, Cunha, Cushnahan, Deprez, Dimitrakopoulos, Donnelly Brendan Patrick, Ebner, Elles, Escudero, Estevan Bolea, Fabra Vallés, Ferber, Fernández-Albor, Fernández Martín, Ferrer, Ferri, Filippi, Flemming, Florenz, Fontaine, Fontana, Fourçans, Fraga Estévez, Friedrich, Funk, Galeote Quecedo, García-Margallo y Marfil, Garosci, Gillis, Glase, Goepel, Gomolka, Graziani, Grosch, Grossetête, Günther, Gahler, von Habsburg, Hatzidakis, Heinisch, Herman, Hernandez Mollar, Hoppenstedt, Ilaskivi, Jarzembowski, Kellett-Bowman, Keppelhoff-Wiechert, Kittelmann, Klaß, Koch, Konrad, Kristoffersen, Lambrias, Langen, Langenhagen, Laurila, Lehideux, Lehne, Lenz, Leopardi, Liese, Ligabue, Lulling, McCartin, Maij-Weggen, Malangré, Malerba, Mann Thomas, Martens, Mayer, Mendes Bota, Méndez de Vigo, Menrad, Mezzaroma, Mombaur, Mottola, Mouskouri, Nassauer, Oomen-Ruijten, Oostlander, Otila, Pack, Palacio Vallelersundi, Peijs, Pex, Pirker, Plumb, Poettering, Poggiolini, Porto, Posselt, Quisthoudt-Rowohl, Rack, Reding, Rinsche, Robles Piquer, de Rose, Rovsing, Rübig, Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Santini, Sarlis, Schiedermeier, Schleicher, Schlüter, Schröder, Schwaiger, Secchi, Sisó Cruellas, Sonneveld, Soulier, Spencer, Stewart-Clark, Theato, Thyssen, Tillich, Tindemans, Trakatellis, Valdivielso de Cué, Valverde López, Varela Suanzes-Carpegna, van Velzen W.G., Verwaerde, Viola, Virgin, von Wogau

PES:        Adam, d'Ancona, Andersson, Aparicio Sánchez, Augias, Baldarelli, Balfe, Barón Crespo, Barros Moura, Barton, Barzanti, Berès, Berger, Billingham, Bösch, Bontempi, Botz, Bowe, Bru Purón, Cabezón Alonso, Candal, Carlotti, Carniti, Castricum, Caudron, Colajanni, Colino Salamanca, Corbett, Correia, Cot, Crampton, Crawley, Dankert, Darras, De Coene, De Giovanni, Delcroix, Denys, Desama, Donnelly Alan John, Dührkop Dührkop, Elchlepp, Elliott, Evans, Fayot, Ford, Garot, Gebhardt, Ghilardotti, Glante, Görlach, Graenitz, Green, Hänsch, Hallam, Hardstaff, Harrison, Haug, Hawlicek, Hoff, Hughes, Hume, Imbeni, Iversen, Izquierdo Collado, Izquierdo Rojo, Jensen Kirsten M., Jöns, Junker, Karamanou, Katiforis, Kindermann, Kinnock, Kokkola, Krehl, Kuckelkorn, Kuhn, Kuhne, Lage, Lambraki, Lange, Linkohr, Lööw, McAvan, McCarthy, McGowan, McNally, Malone, Martin David W., Medina Ortega, Mendiluce Pereiro, Metten, Miller, Moniz, Murphy, Myller, Napoletano, Newman, Paasilinna, Paasio, Palm, Papakyriazis, Pérez Royo, Peter, Piecyk, Pollack, van Putten, Ramírez Heredia, Randzio-Plath, Rapkay, Read, Rehder, Rocard, Rothe, Rothley, Roubatis, Ruffolo, Sakellariou, Samland, Sandberg-Fries, Sanz Fernández, Sauquillo Pérez del Arco, Schäfer, Schmid, Schmidbauer, Schulz, Simpson, Sindal, Skinner, Speciale, Spiers, Stockmann, Swoboda, Tannert, Tappin, Terrón i Cusí, Theorin, Titley, Tomlinson, Tongue, Truscott, Vecchi, van Velzen Wim, Verde i Aldea, Waddington, Walter, Watts, Weiler, Wemheuer, Whitehead, Wiersma, Willockx, Wilson, Wynn, Zimmermann

UFE:        d'Aboville, Aldo, Andrews, Bazin, Cabrol, Carrère d'Encausse, Collins Gerard, Crowley, Daskalaki, Fitzsimons, Giansily, Girão Pereira, Hermange, Hyland, Killilea, Marin, Martin Philippe-Armand, Pasty, Pompidou, Schaffner

Greens:    Bloch von Blottnitz, Ceyhun, Graefe zu Baringdorf, Hautala, Kreissl-Dörfler, Lagendijk, Müller, Orlando, Soltwedel-Schäfer, Ullmann

72	Nej-stemmer Nein-Stimmen ÊáôÜ Against En contra Vastaan Contre Contrari Tegen Contra Nej-röster

ERA:        Hory, Sainjon

ELDR:    De Luca, Lindqvist

EUL/NGL:    Ainardi, Alavanos, Coates, Elmalan, Ephremidis, Eriksson, Miranda, Moreau, Pailler, Querbes, Ribeiro, Ripa di Meana, Seppänen, Sjöstedt, Svensson, Theonas, Vinci

I-EN:        Berthu, Blokland, Bonde, van Dam, Jensen Lis, Krarup, des Places, Sandbæk, Seillier, Souchet, Striby

Ind:        Antony, Blot, Dillen, Féret, de Gaulle, Hager, Lang, Le Pen, Le Rachinel, Pinel, Raschhofer, Vanhecke

PES:        Bernardini, Blak, Cottigny, Falconer, Frutos Gama, García Arias, Hindley, Hulthén, Laignel, Lienemann, Lomas, Megahy, Morris, Mutin, Schlechter, Smith, Van Lancker, White, Wibe

UFE:        Cardona, Janssen van Raay, Rosado Fernandes

Greens:    Gahrton, Holm, Lindholm, McKenna, Schörling, Tamino

41	Hverken eller Enthaltungen Aðï÷Ýò Abstention Abstención Tyhjää Abstention Astensioni Onthoudingen Abstenções Nedlagda röster

ERA:        Castagnède, Dell'Alba, de Lassus Saint Geniès, Pradier

ELDR :    Dybkjær, Moorhouse

EUL/NGL:    González Álvarez, Gutiérrez Díaz, Herzog, Ilivitzky, Jové Peres, Marset Campos, Papayannakis, Puerta

EPP:        Chichester, Corrie, Jackson, McIntosh, McMillan-Scott, Perry, Provan, Sturdy

PES:        Colom i Naval, Cunningham, Lindeperg, Needle, Newens, Oddy, Roth-Behrendt, Seal, Thomas, Torres Marques

UFE:        van Bladel, Guinebertière

Greens:    Aelvoet, Breyer, Kerr, Lannoye, Schroedter, Voggenhuber, Wolf

The questionnaires sent by Parliament and the replies of the nominee Commissioners are available on the internet in all official languages of the European Union. : http://www.europarl.europa.eu
Paper editions of the replies in English and French are available in the press room in the Paul Henri Spaak building.

1.    The Members of the Commission shall be appointed, in accordance with the procedure referred to in paragraph 2, for a period of five years, subject, if need be, to Article 201. Their term of office shall be renewable.

2.    The governments of the Member States shall nominate by common accord the person they intend to appoint as President of the Commission; the nomination shall be approved by the European Parliament.

    The governments of the Member States shall, by common accord with the nominee for president, nominate the other persons whom they intend to appoint as Members of the Commission.

    The President and the other Members of the Commission thus nominated shall be subject as a body to a vote of approval by the European Parliament. After approval by the European Parliament, the President and the other Members of the Commission shall be appointed by common accord of the governments of the Member States.

Apart from normal replacement, or death, the duties of a Member of the Commission shall end when when he resigns or is compulsorily retired.

The vacancy thus caused shall be filled for the remainder of the Member's term of office by a new Member appointed by common accord of the governments of the Member States. The Council may, acting unanimously, decide that such a vacancy need not be filled.

In the event of resignation, compulsory retirement or death, the President shall be replaced for the remainder of his term of office. The procedure laid down in Article 214(2) shall be applicable for the replacement of the President.

Save in the case of compulsory retirement under Article 216, Members of the Commission shall remain in office until they have been replaced.

1.     When the governments of the Member States have agreed on a nomination for President of the Commission, the President shall reques the nominee to make a statement and present his political guidelines to Parliament. The statement shall be followed by a debate.

    The Council shall be invited to take part in the debate.

2.     Parliament shall approve or reject the nomination by a majority of the votes cast.

    The vote shall be taken by roll call.

3.    If the nominee is elected, the President shall inform the President of the European Council and the governments of the Member States accordingly, requesting them and the President-elect of the Commission to propose by common accord the nominees for the various posts of Commissioners.

4.     If Parliament does not approve nomination, the President shall request the governments of the Member States to nominate a new candidate.

1.    The President shall, after consulting the President-elect of the Commission, request the nominees proposed for the various posts of Commissioners to appear before the appropriate committees according to their prospective fields of responsibility. These hearings shall be held in public.

2.     The committee shall invite the nominee to make a statement and answer questions.

3.    The President-elect shall present the college of Commissioners and their programme at a sitting of Parliament which the whole Council shall be invited to attend. The statement shall be followed by a debate.

4.     In order to wind up the debate, any political group may table a motion for a resolution. Rule 37 (3), (4) and (5) shall apply.

    Following the vote on the motion for a resolution, Parliament shall elect or reject the Commission by a majority of the votes cast.

    The vote shall be taken by roll call.

    Parliament may defer the vote until the next sitting.

5.     The President shall inform the governments of the Member States of the election or rejection of the Commission.

6.    In the event of portfolio changes during the Commission's term of office, the Commissioner concerned shall be invited to appear before the committees responsible for the areas of responsibility in question.

Parliamentary committees

Chairman

1st vice- chairman

2nd vice- chairman

3rd vice- chairman

I	Foreign Affairs	EPP Brok	ELDR Nicholson	EPP Newton- Dunn	PES Lalumière
II	Budgets	PES Wynn	EPP Tillich	PES Dürhkop	EPP Pisicchio
III	Budgetary Control	EPP Theato	PES Bösch	ELDR Van der Laan	PES Blak
IV	Citizens' Freedoms	ELDR Watson	PES Evans	EPP	EPP Posselt
V	Economic	PES Randzio- Plath	UEN Abitbol	EPP Garcia- Margallo	EUL Theonas
VI	Legal	EPP de Palacio	PES Rothley	EPP Wieland	ELDR Beysen
VII	Industry	PES Westendor p	EPP Brunetta	Greens Ahern	EPP Mombaur
VIII	Employment	PES Rocard	EPP Menrad	EPP Hermang e	UEN Portas
IX	Environment	EPP Jackson	PES Lage	Greens De Roo	EPP
X	Agriculture	Greens Graefe zu Baringdorf	EPP Daul	PES Lavarra	EPP Redondo
XI	Fisheries	EPP Varela Sua nzes- Carpegna	PES Miguélez	EUL Papayan nakis	EPP Martin
XII	Regional Policy	EPP Hatzidakis	PES Mastoraki s	EDD Van Dam	EUL Markov
XIII	Culture	EPP Gargani	EPP Graça Moura	PES Livari	PES Ruffolo
XIV	Development	EUL Miranda	ELDR Dybkjær	PES Van den Berg	EPP Fernande z Martin
XV	Constitutional Affairs	PES Napolitano	Greens Voggenh uber	EPP Schleiche r	EPP Beazley
XVI	Women's Rights	PES Theorin	EUL Eriksson	PES Van Lancker	Greens Evans
XVII	Petitions	EPP Gemelli	EPP Perry	PES De Rossa	ELDR Sbarbati