Elmar Brok
Encyclopedia
Elmar Brok is a German
Member of the European Parliament
and the former Chairman of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs. He was elected on the CDU ticket and sits with the European People's Party
group. An MEP since 1980, he has held many leadership positions in German and European politics.
As a member of the Convention on the Constitution for Europe and in the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Mr Brok contributed crucially to the Constitution of the European Union.
Mr Brok has held numerous leadership positions for the Christian Democratic Party in Germany, including Deputy Federal Chairman of the Junge Union (CDU youth section) (1973–1981), Chairman of the CDU Federal Committee on Foreign and Security Policy (1989–1999), CDU District Chairman of Ostwestfalen-Lippe (since 1996), Secretary of the CDU Land Executive of North Rhine-Westphalia (since 1996), Chairman of the CDU Federal Committee on European policy (since 1999), Assistant Chairman of the International Democrat Union (since 1991), Deputy Chairman of the European Union of Christian Democratic Workers (since 1991), and Chairman of the European Union of Christian Democratic Workers.
Mr Brok has also held several leadership positions in the European Parliament, including Member of the European People’s Party (EPP) Political Bureau, Member of the EPP Group Bureau, Coordinator in the European Parliament committees on social affairs, drugs and German unity, European Parliament Representative on the Council's Reflection Group for Maastricht II, European Parliament Representative at the Intergovernmental Conference on the Treaty of Amsterdam, European Parliament Representative at the 2000 Intergovernmental Conference, and EPP coordinator in the European Convention.
He is Senior Vice President for Media Development at Bertelsmann
. According to himself he does not take part in any votes on media issues. Though he made this occupation public from the beginning, this issue is being critically discussed in the German public. According to recent information broadcasted by German media his activities as lobbyist of Bertelsmann are also scrutinized by the EU Commission. According to journalist Lutz Mükke (2005) Brok used his influence to ban Hajo Friedrich, who published a critical article concerning Brok's muddy activities, from the political ressort of the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung". Former Chancellor Helmut Kohl once sarcastically summarized Brok's CV: "born, married, MEP." In an interview with the German newspaper "Die Tageszeitung" Brok reflected his activities and stated that for him politics was not profession, but hobby. Accordingly, critics of Brok call him a "hobbyist."
On 15 September 2010 Brok supported the new initiative Spinelli Group
in the European Parliament
, which was founded to reinvigorate the strive for federalisation of the European Union (EU). Other prominent supporters are: Jacques Delors
, Daniel Cohn-Bendit
, Guy Verhofstadt
, Andrew Duff
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
and the former Chairman of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs. He was elected on the CDU ticket and sits with the European People's Party
European People's Party
The European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...
group. An MEP since 1980, he has held many leadership positions in German and European politics.
As a member of the Convention on the Constitution for Europe and in the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Mr Brok contributed crucially to the Constitution of the European Union.
Positions in the European Parliament
- Member since 1980
- Member of the fraction of the European Peoples Party and European Democrats (member of the board of directors)
- Chairman of the Committee on Forreign Affairs
- Substitute of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs
- Member of the delegation for the relations with the United States
Curriculum Vitae
Mr Brok studied law and politics in Germany and at the Centre for European Governmental Studies at the University of Edinburgh. Formerly, he worked as a radio journalist and newspaper correspondent.Mr Brok has held numerous leadership positions for the Christian Democratic Party in Germany, including Deputy Federal Chairman of the Junge Union (CDU youth section) (1973–1981), Chairman of the CDU Federal Committee on Foreign and Security Policy (1989–1999), CDU District Chairman of Ostwestfalen-Lippe (since 1996), Secretary of the CDU Land Executive of North Rhine-Westphalia (since 1996), Chairman of the CDU Federal Committee on European policy (since 1999), Assistant Chairman of the International Democrat Union (since 1991), Deputy Chairman of the European Union of Christian Democratic Workers (since 1991), and Chairman of the European Union of Christian Democratic Workers.
Mr Brok has also held several leadership positions in the European Parliament, including Member of the European People’s Party (EPP) Political Bureau, Member of the EPP Group Bureau, Coordinator in the European Parliament committees on social affairs, drugs and German unity, European Parliament Representative on the Council's Reflection Group for Maastricht II, European Parliament Representative at the Intergovernmental Conference on the Treaty of Amsterdam, European Parliament Representative at the 2000 Intergovernmental Conference, and EPP coordinator in the European Convention.
He is Senior Vice President for Media Development at Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann AG is a multinational media corporation founded in 1835, based in Gütersloh, Germany. The company operates in 63 countries and employs 102,983 workers , which makes it the most international media corporation in the world. In 2008 the company reported a €16.118 billion consolidated...
. According to himself he does not take part in any votes on media issues. Though he made this occupation public from the beginning, this issue is being critically discussed in the German public. According to recent information broadcasted by German media his activities as lobbyist of Bertelsmann are also scrutinized by the EU Commission. According to journalist Lutz Mükke (2005) Brok used his influence to ban Hajo Friedrich, who published a critical article concerning Brok's muddy activities, from the political ressort of the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung". Former Chancellor Helmut Kohl once sarcastically summarized Brok's CV: "born, married, MEP." In an interview with the German newspaper "Die Tageszeitung" Brok reflected his activities and stated that for him politics was not profession, but hobby. Accordingly, critics of Brok call him a "hobbyist."
On 15 September 2010 Brok supported the new initiative Spinelli Group
Spinelli Group
The Spinelli Group is a pro-European initiative that was founded with a view to reinvigorate the strive for federalisation of the European Union , by creating a network of citizens, think tanks, NGOs, academics, writers and politicians who support the idea of a federal and united Europe...
in the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
, which was founded to reinvigorate the strive for federalisation of the European Union (EU). Other prominent supporters are: Jacques Delors
Jacques Delors
Jacques Lucien Jean Delors is a French economist and politician, the eighth President of the European Commission and the first person to serve three terms in that office .-French Politics:...
, Daniel Cohn-Bendit
Daniel Cohn-Bendit
Daniel Marc Cohn-Bendit is a Franco-German politician, active in both countries. He was a student leader during the unrest of May 1968 in France and he was also known during that time as Dany le Rouge...
, Guy Verhofstadt
Guy Verhofstadt
Guy Verhofstadt is a Belgian politician who was the 47th Prime Minister of Belgium from 1999 to 2008. He is currently a Member of the European Parliament and leader of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.- Early career :...
, Andrew Duff
Andrew Duff
Andrew Duff OBE is a Liberal Democrat politician, president of the Union of European Federalists, and a Member of the European Parliament for the East of England region of the UK....
.
Honours
- Federal Cross of Merit (First Class)
- Grand Golden Decoration of the Republic of Austria
- Order of Grand Officer of LuxembourgLuxembourgLuxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
- Commander, Order of St. Gregory (appointed by Pope John Paul II, November 2002)
- Member, Oxford Council on Good Governance
- Alois MockAlois MockAlois Mock is a politician and member of the Austrian People's Party . He was Vice Chancellor of Austria from 1987 to 1989. As foreign minister he helped take Austria into the European Union....
Prize for the European of the Year, Austria 2003 - "MEP of the Year for 2003" awarded by European VoiceEuropean VoiceEuropean Voice is an English language newspaper owned by The Economist Group. The newspaper gives an account of the activities of the key European Union institutions – the European Commission, European Parliament and Council of Ministers...
following a Europe-wide vote
External links
- Wikipedia Germany about Elmar Brok
- Mr Elmar Brok´s official webpage from the European Parliament
- Mr Elmar Brok´s webpage (German)
- "Der Parlaments-Broker" (Article published in German) Elmar Brok ist nicht nur ein mächtiger Europa-Parlamentarier, sondern auch Bertelsmann-Lobbyist ... ("Elmar Brok - influential MEP and Bertelsmann lobbyist ...") Von Lutz Mükke, in: message 4/2005, 7.10.2005
- "Politik ist keine Arbeit, sondern Hobby" (Interview with the German newspaper "Die Tageszeitung" ("Politics isn't profession but hobby for me") 24.12.2004