Jacques Barrot
Encyclopedia
Jacques Barrot is a French politician, who has served as European Commission
er for Justice
(2008–2010), after four years as Commissioner for Transport (2004–2008) and Commissioner for Regional Policy for eight months (2004). He is also one of five vice-presidents of the 27-member Barroso Commission
. He previously held various ministerial positions in France, and is a member of the right-wing political party
UMP
. He was officially approved in his post by the European Parliament
on 18 June 2008 with a vote of 489 to 52 with 19 abstentions.
Barrot was a European Commissioner between April 2004 and , serving as Commissioner for Regional Policy in the Prodi Commission
before being selected as a Vice-President and Commissioner for Transport in the Barroso Commission.
He was convicted in a French court of embezzlement in 2000. The case involved the diverting of £2 million of government money to his party. He received an eight month suspended prison sentence. His conviction was automatically erased by a 1995 presidential amnesty.
Barrot was approved by the European Parliament
in 2004 for Commissioner of Transport and made a Vice-President
in the new Barroso Commission
. However shortly after he began work, Independence and Democracy
MEP
Nigel Farage
revealed his previous conviction of fraud
in 2000. French President Jacques Chirac
had granted him presidential amnesty, a fact the Commissioner did not disclose during his hearing to the Parliament. Despite calls from some MEPs for him to be suspended he remained in office after a large majority accepted legal opinion that Barrot was not legally required to disclose the amnesty.
A major project during his term is the Galileo positioning system
. Work on the system began a year before Barrot came to office and has developed since with the launch of the first satellite. However infighting within private sector partners may be a potential setback to the project with Barrot favouring greater funds from the EU budget. Other work includes recent guarantees of air passenger rights and the Single European Sky
.
He gave a warning to British bishop Richard Williamson on the social consequences of Holocaust denial.
Governmental functions
Electoral mandates
National Assembly of France
General Council
Municipal Council
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
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....
er for Justice
European Commissioner for Justice, Freedom & Security
The Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship is a post in the European Commission. The current commissioner is Viviane Reding....
(2008–2010), after four years as Commissioner for Transport (2004–2008) and Commissioner for Regional Policy for eight months (2004). He is also one of five vice-presidents of the 27-member 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...
. He previously held various ministerial positions in France, and is a member of the right-wing political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
UMP
Union for a Popular Movement
The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party...
. He was officially approved in his post by 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...
on 18 June 2008 with a vote of 489 to 52 with 19 abstentions.
Barrot was a European Commissioner between April 2004 and , serving as Commissioner for Regional Policy in the 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:...
before being selected as a Vice-President and Commissioner for Transport in the Barroso Commission.
He was convicted in a French court of embezzlement in 2000. The case involved the diverting of £2 million of government money to his party. He received an eight month suspended prison sentence. His conviction was automatically erased by a 1995 presidential amnesty.
Barrot was approved by 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...
in 2004 for Commissioner of Transport and made a Vice-President
Vice-President of the European Commission
A Vice President of the European Commission is a post in the European Commission usually occupied by more than one member of the Commission. Since the 2009 Lisbon Treaty entered into force, one of these is ex-officio the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,...
in the new 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...
. However shortly after he began work, Independence and Democracy
Independence and Democracy
The Independence/Democracy Group in the European Parliament was a group of eurosceptic and eurorealist political parties in the 2004-2009 term of the European Parliament. It collapsed following the 2009 European elections after losing many of its MEPs....
MEP
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,...
Nigel Farage
Nigel Farage
Nigel Paul Farage MEP , a position he previously held from September 2006 to November 2009. He is a current Member of the European Parliament for South East England and co-chairs the Eurosceptic Europe of Freedom and Democracy group....
revealed his previous conviction of fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
in 2000. French President Jacques Chirac
Jacques Chirac
Jacques René Chirac is a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988 , and as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.After completing his studies of the DEA's degree at the...
had granted him presidential amnesty, a fact the Commissioner did not disclose during his hearing to the Parliament. Despite calls from some MEPs for him to be suspended he remained in office after a large majority accepted legal opinion that Barrot was not legally required to disclose the amnesty.
A major project during his term is the Galileo positioning system
Galileo positioning system
Galileo is a global navigation satellite system currently being built by the European Union and European Space Agency . The €20 billion project is named after the famous Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei...
. Work on the system began a year before Barrot came to office and has developed since with the launch of the first satellite. However infighting within private sector partners may be a potential setback to the project with Barrot favouring greater funds from the EU budget. Other work includes recent guarantees of air passenger rights and the Single European Sky
Single European Sky
The Single European Sky is a European Commission initiative by which the design, management and regulation of airspace will be coordinated throughout the European Union ....
.
He gave a warning to British bishop Richard Williamson on the social consequences of Holocaust denial.
Political career
- Member of the Constitutional Council of FranceConstitutional Council of FranceThe Constitutional Council is the highest constitutional authority in France. It was established by the Constitution of the Fifth Republic on 4 October 1958, and its duty is to ensure that the principles and rules of the constitution are upheld.Its main activity is to rule on whether proposed...
: Since 2010. - Vice President of the European CommissionEuropean CommissionThe 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....
: November 2004–2010. - European CommissionerEuropean CommissionerA European Commissioner is a member of the 27-member European Commission. Each Member within the college holds a specific portfolio and are led by the President of the European Commission...
for Justice and Home Affairs : 2008–2010. - European CommissionerEuropean CommissionerA European Commissioner is a member of the 27-member European Commission. Each Member within the college holds a specific portfolio and are led by the President of the European Commission...
for Transports : 2004–2008. - European CommissionerEuropean CommissionerA European Commissioner is a member of the 27-member European Commission. Each Member within the college holds a specific portfolio and are led by the President of the European Commission...
for Regional Policy : March–November 2004.
Governmental functions
- Secretary of State for Housing : 1974–1978.
- Minister of Trade and Handicrafts : 1978–1979.
- Minister of Health and Social Security : 1979–1981.
- Minister of Labor, Social Dialogue and Participation : May–November 1995.
- Minister of Labor and Social Affairs : 1995–1997.
Electoral mandates
National Assembly of France
- President of the group of Union for a Popular MovementUnion for a Popular MovementThe Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party...
: 2002–2004 (Resignation). - Member of the National Assembly of France for Haute-LoireHaute-LoireHaute-Loire is a department in south-central France named after the Loire River.-History:Haute-Loire is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
: 1967–1974 (Became Secretary of State in 1974) / 1981–1995 (Became minister in 1995) / 1997–2004 (Resignation, became member of the European CommissionEuropean CommissionThe 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....
in 2004). Elected in 1967, reelected in 1968, 1973, 1978, 1981, 1986, 1988, 1993, 1997, 2002.
General Council
- President of the Haute-LoireHaute-LoireHaute-Loire is a department in south-central France named after the Loire River.-History:Haute-Loire is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
General Council : 1976–2001. Reelected in 1979, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1998. - General councillor of Haute-LoireHaute-LoireHaute-Loire is a department in south-central France named after the Loire River.-History:Haute-Loire is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
: 1966–2008. Reelected in 1970, 1976, 1982, 1988, 1994, 2001.
Municipal Council
- Mayor of YssingeauxYssingeauxYssingeaux is a commune in the Haute-Loire department in south-central France....
: 1989–2001. Reelected in 1995. - Deputy-mayor of YssingeauxYssingeauxYssingeaux is a commune in the Haute-Loire department in south-central France....
: 1971–1989. Reelected in 1977, 1983. - Municipal councillor of YssingeauxYssingeauxYssingeaux is a commune in the Haute-Loire department in south-central France....
: 1965–2001. Reelected in 1971, 1977, 1983, 1989, 1995.
External links
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-