European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy

This article is about a historic position in the European Commission, for the current foreign affairs position see High Representative
High Representative
High Representative may refer to either:* The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy High Representative may refer to either:* The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy High Representative may refer to either:* The High...

The European Commissioner for External Relations was a member of the European Commission

European Commission

The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....

with responsibility over the Commissions external representation in the world

Foreign relations of the European Union

Although there has been a large degree of integration between European Union member states, foreign relations is still a largely inter-governmental matter, with the 27 members controlling their own relations to a large degree. However with the Union holding more weight as a single bloc, there are...

and the European Union's (EU) Neighbourhood Policy

European Neighbourhood Policy

The European Neighbourhood Policy is a foreign relations instrument of the European Union which seeks to tie those countries to the east and south of the EU into the EU...

(ENP). The responsibility was shared though between other Commission posts (see below) and the High Representative.

As a result of the Treaty of Lisbon

Treaty of Lisbon

The Treaty of Lisbon of 1668 was a peace treaty between Portugal and Spain, concluded at Lisbon on 13 February 1668, through the mediation of England, in which Spain recognized the sovereignty of Portugal's new ruling dynasty, the House of Braganza....

, on 1 December 2009 the positions of Commissioner and High Representative were merged as the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy is the main co-ordinator and representative of the Common Foreign and Security Policy within the European Union...

. The first Commissioner to hold the post was Jean Rey

Jean Rey (politician)

Jean Rey was a Belgian lawyer and Liberal politician who became the second President of the European Commission.-Early life:...

in 1958, who later became Commission President

President of the European Commission

The President of the European Commission is the head of the European Commission ― the executive branch of the :European Union ― the most powerful officeholder in the EU. The President is responsible for allocating portfolios to members of the Commission and can reshuffle or dismiss them if needed...

. The last Commissioner was Benita Ferrero-Waldner

Benita Ferrero-Waldner

Dr. Benita Ferrero-Waldner is an Austrian diplomat and politician, and a member of the conservative Austrian People's Party . Ferrero-Waldner served as the Foreign Minister of Austria 2000–2004 and was the candidate of the Austrian People's Party in the Austrian presidential election, 2004, which...

who served from 2004 to 2009 in the first Barroso Commission

Barroso Commission

The Barroso Commission is the European Commission that has been in office since 22 November 2004 and is due to serve until 2014. Its president is José Manuel Barroso, who presides over 26 other commissioners...

List of commissioners

The post has been under various names (External Relations/External Affairs) and often combined with Trade or other portfolios. In the Barroso I Commission it was combined with the European Neighbourhood Policy

European Neighbourhood Policy

The European Neighbourhood Policy is a foreign relations instrument of the European Union which seeks to tie those countries to the east and south of the EU into the EU...

portfolio, hence its name under that administration. Ferrero-Waldner will also be the last Commissioner for External Relations as the post is to be taken over by the High Representative

High Representative

High Representative may refer to either:* The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy High Representative may refer to either:* The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy High Representative may refer to either:* The High...

Catherine Ashton from 1 December 2009.

Commissioner	State	National party	Commission	Term start	Term end
Jean Rey Jean Rey (politician) Jean Rey was a Belgian lawyer and Liberal politician who became the second President of the European Commission.-Early life:...	Belgium	Liberal Reformist Party Liberal Reformist Party The Parti Réformateur Libéral was a Belgian liberal party active in Wallonia and Brussels. It grew out of the unitiarian PVV-PLP and has since become part of the Mouvement Réformateur.-PVV-PLP:* Omer Vanaudenhove 1961 - 1968...	Hallstein Commission I	1958	1962
Jean Rey Jean Rey (politician) Jean Rey was a Belgian lawyer and Liberal politician who became the second President of the European Commission.-Early life:...	Belgium	Liberal Reformist Party Liberal Reformist Party The Parti Réformateur Libéral was a Belgian liberal party active in Wallonia and Brussels. It grew out of the unitiarian PVV-PLP and has since become part of the Mouvement Réformateur.-PVV-PLP:* Omer Vanaudenhove 1961 - 1968...	Hallstein Commission II	1962	1967
Edoardo Martino	Italy	Christian Democracy Christian Democracy (Italy) Christian Democracy was a Christian democratic party in Italy. It was founded in 1943 as the ideological successor of the historical Italian People's Party, which had the same symbol, a crossed shield ....	Rey Commission Rey Commission The Rey Commission is the European Commission that held office from 2 July 1967 to 30 June 1970. Its President was Jean Rey.-Work:It was the first Commission of the merged European Communities. It was the successor to the Hallstein Commission and was succeeded by the Malfatti Commission...	1967	1970
Jean-François Deniau Jean-François Deniau Jean-François Deniau was a French statesman, diplomat, essayist and novelist. He was until 1998 a member of the UDF .-Minister and diplomat:...	France	Union for French Democracy Union for French Democracy The Union for French Democracy was a French centrist political party. It was founded in 1978 as an electoral alliance to support President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing in order to counterbalance the Gaullist preponderance over the right. This name was chosen due to the title of Giscard d'Estaing's...	Malfatti Commission Malfatti Commission The Malfatti Commission is the European Commission that held office from 1 July 1970 to 21 March 1972. Its President was Franco Maria Malfatti.- Work :...	1970	1972
Jean-François Deniau Jean-François Deniau Jean-François Deniau was a French statesman, diplomat, essayist and novelist. He was until 1998 a member of the UDF .-Minister and diplomat:...	France	Union for French Democracy Union for French Democracy The Union for French Democracy was a French centrist political party. It was founded in 1978 as an electoral alliance to support President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing in order to counterbalance the Gaullist preponderance over the right. This name was chosen due to the title of Giscard d'Estaing's...	Mansholt Commission Mansholt Commission The Mansholt Commission is the European Commission that held office from 22 March 1972 to 5 January 1973. Its President was Sicco Mansholt.- Work :It was the successor to the Malfatti Commission and was succeeded by the Ortoli Commission...	1972	1973
Christopher Soames Christopher Soames, Baron Soames Arthur Christopher John Soames, Baron Soames, GCMG, GCVO, CH, CBE, PC was a British politician belonging to the Conservative Party and the son-in-law of Winston Churchill. A European Commissioner and the last Governor of Southern Rhodesia, he had previously been the longtime Member of Parliament...	United Kingdom	Conservative Party Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...	Ortoli Commission Ortoli Commission The Ortoli Commission is the European Commission that held office from 6 January 1973 to 5 January 1977. Its President was François-Xavier Ortoli.-Work:...	1973	1977
Wilhelm Haferkamp Wilhelm Haferkamp Wilhelm Haferkamp was a long time member of the European Commission. Born in Germany, he was a social democratic politician. He was appointed by to the Commission by the West German government in 1967. He served in a number of posts including Vice President until 1985...	West Germany	Social Democratic Party Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...	Jenkins Commission Jenkins Commission (EU) The Jenkins Commission is the European Commission that held office from 6 January 1977 to 6 January 1981. Its President was Roy Jenkins.-Work:It was the successor to the Ortoli Commission and was succeeded by the Thorn Commission...	1977	1981
Wilhelm Haferkamp Wilhelm Haferkamp Wilhelm Haferkamp was a long time member of the European Commission. Born in Germany, he was a social democratic politician. He was appointed by to the Commission by the West German government in 1967. He served in a number of posts including Vice President until 1985...	West Germany	Social Democratic Party Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...	Thorn Commission Thorn Commission The Thorn Commission was the European Commission that held office from 6 January 1981 until 5 January 1985. Its President was Gaston Thorn.-Work:...	1981	1985
Willy De Clercq Willy De Clercq Willy Clarisse Elvire Hector, Viscount De Clercq was a Belgian liberal politician.De Clercq was born in Ghent...	Belgium	Flemish Liberals and Democrats Flemish Liberals and Democrats ' , commonly known as Open VLD and also simply as the VLD, is a Flemish liberal political party in Belgium, created in 1992 from the former Party for Freedom and Progress and a few other politicians from other parties. The party led the government for three cabinets under Guy Verhofstadt from 1999...	Delors Commission I	1985	1989
Frans Andriessen Frans Andriessen Franciscus Henricus Johannes Joseph Andriessen is a senior Dutch politician.In 1967 he was first elected to the House of Representatives for the Katholieke Volkspartij . From 1971 to 1977 he was leader of the KVP. He served as Minister of Finance and European Commissioner for Trade, Competition...	Netherlands	Christian Democratic Appeal Christian Democratic Appeal The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...	Delors Commission II	1989	1993
Hans van den Broek Hans van den Broek Henri van den Broek is a leading Dutch politician. He is best known for having served 11 years as the Netherlands' Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1982 and 1993, when he became European Commissioner for Foreign Relations.-Career:Van Den Broek started his career as a lawyer...	Netherlands	Christian Democratic Appeal Christian Democratic Appeal The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...	Delors Commission III	1993	1995
Leon Brittan	United Kingdom	Conservative Party Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...	Santer Commission Santer Commission The Santer Commission was the European Commission in office between 23 January 1995 and 15 March 1999. The administration was led by Jacques Santer ....	1995	1999
Leon Brittan	United Kingdom	Conservative Party Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...	Marín Commission Marín Commission The Marín Commission is an interim European Commission that served in office from 16 March 1999 to 12 September 1999. It consisted of its president, Manuel Marín, and the other commissioners....	1999	1999
Chris Patten Chris Patten Christopher Francis Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes, CH, PC , is the last Governor of British Hong Kong, a former British Conservative politician, and the current chairman of the BBC Trust....	United Kingdom	Conservative Party Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...	Prodi Commission Prodi Commission The Prodi Commission was the European Commission in office between 1999 and 2004. The administration was led by former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi.-History:...	1999	2004
Benita Ferrero-Waldner Benita Ferrero-Waldner Dr. Benita Ferrero-Waldner is an Austrian diplomat and politician, and a member of the conservative Austrian People's Party . Ferrero-Waldner served as the Foreign Minister of Austria 2000–2004 and was the candidate of the Austrian People's Party in the Austrian presidential election, 2004, which...	Austria	Austrian People's Party Austrian People's Party The Austrian People's Party is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Austria. A successor to the Christian Social Party of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it is similar to the Christian Democratic Union of Germany in terms of ideology...	Barroso Commission I	2004	2009

As a result of the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon

Treaty of Lisbon

, the Commissioner position was be merged with that of the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy to become the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy is the main co-ordinator and representative of the Common Foreign and Security Policy within the European Union...

. However Ferrero-Waldner maintained control over the European Neighbourhood Policy

European Neighbourhood Policy

The European Neighbourhood Policy is a foreign relations instrument of the European Union which seeks to tie those countries to the east and south of the EU into the EU...

and EuropeAid Co-operation Office

EuropeAid Co-operation Office

The Development and Cooperation - EuropeAid Directorate General is one of the departments of the European Commission. EuropeAid operates under the authority of the European Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs.- Background :...

(which are not part of the new High Representative's mandate).

Since the establishment of the High Representative, there are now only the following Commissioners dealing with international affairs;

European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy
European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response
European Commissioner for Trade
European Commissioner for Trade
The European Commissioner for Trade is the member of the European Commission responsible for the European Union's common commercial policy...

The external relations policy of the Barroso Commission

Barroso Commission

is based on three key basic propositions on the EU’s role in the world. The EU is a global player; it pursues a specific foreign policy philosophy which one could term “effective multilateralism”; and, thanks to its specific nature, the EU disposes of a wide range of foreign policy

Foreign policy

A country's foreign policy, also called the foreign relations policy, consists of self-interest strategies chosen by the state to safeguard its national interests and to achieve its goals within international relations milieu. The approaches are strategically employed to interact with other countries...

instruments which are particularly suited to respond to today's challenges. In his first Commission, President Barroso established a Group of Commissioners, chaired by him, and in charge of six external relations services. Prior to its abolition, there were four external relations posts;

Benita Ferrero-Waldner
Benita Ferrero-Waldner
Dr. Benita Ferrero-Waldner is an Austrian diplomat and politician, and a member of the conservative Austrian People's Party . Ferrero-Waldner served as the Foreign Minister of Austria 2000–2004 and was the candidate of the Austrian People's Party in the Austrian presidential election, 2004, which...

was deputy chair of the Group of External Relations Commissioners, and responsible for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy
European Neighbourhood Policy
The European Neighbourhood Policy is a foreign relations instrument of the European Union which seeks to tie those countries to the east and south of the EU into the EU...

. She was responsible for two Commission Directorate-General
Directorate-General
A Directorate-General is a branch of an administration dedicated to a specific field of expertise.* The European Commission: Commission Directorates-General are each headed by a European Commissioner;* The European Patent Office: EPO Directorates-General;...

s: External Relations (Relex)
Directorate-General for External Relations (European Commission)
The Directorate-General for the External Relations was a Directorate-General of the European Commission, responsible for the external policy...

and the EuropeAid Co-operation Office (Aidco).

Catherine Ashton was responsible for External Trade. The Directorate General for Trade of the European Commission is in charge of implementing the external trade policy of the European Union. International trade is forefront of international relations.

Louis Michel
Louis Michel
Louis H. O. Ch. Michel is a Belgian politician. He served in the government of Belgium as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1999 to 2004 and was European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid from 2004 to 2009. Since 2009, he has been a Member of the European Parliament...

was responsible for Humanitarian Aid
Humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disaster and man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity...

and Development Policy. A closely related goal is enhancing the effectiveness of the Union's development assistance. He was responsible for two Directorate-Generals: the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office
ECHO (European Commission)
The Humanitarian Aid department of the European Commission , formerly known as the European Community Humanitarian Aid Office, is the European Commission's department for overseas humanitarian aid...

(ECHO) and Development.

Olli Rehn
Olli Rehn
Olli Ilmari Rehn is a Finnish politician, currently serving as European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs. He had previously served as Commissioner for Enlargement...

was responsible for Enlargement. This has been the key tool in enhancing the European model and meeting the objectives of foreign and security policy. The Enlargement Directorate General managed the process under his responsibility.

External links

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List of commissioners

Related posts

See also

External links