Speaker

Michel BARNIER

European Commission

Having been active from an early age in the pro-Europe wing of the Gaullist movement, and elected in his late twenties as a national Parliamentarian, Michel Barnier was appointed in 1993 Minister for the Environment. He went on to be Minister for European Affairs (1995-1997), Minister for Foreign Affairs (2004-2005) and Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries (2007-2009). In 1999 he resigned from national office to take up his post, as part of Romano PRODI’s team, as European Commissioner for regional policy and institutional reform. In 2009 he led the French Presidential majority’s campaign in the European elections and was the head of the French Delegation of the EPP Group (right wing formation) in the European Parliament. He was then proposed as European Commissioner by the President of the Republic Nicolas SARKOZY and took up his post, alongside José Manuel BARROSO, as Member of the European Commission responsible for Internal Market and Services in early 2010.