Íñigo Méndez de Vigo
Encyclopedia
Íñigo Méndez De Vigo y Montojo (born on 21 January 1956 in Tetuan, Morocco
) is a Spanish
politician
and Member of the European Parliament
with the People's Party
since 1992, and Member of the Bureau of the European People's Party
.
In 2009 he was named President of the College of Europe
.
), then under Spanish Protectorate, where his father had been posted as an Infantry Lieutenant
. On his mother's side he is the grandson of Spanish novelist Carmen de Icaza, from whom he inherited the title of Baron of Claret in 1980.
He completed his schooling at the German School of Madrid, as well as language studies in French at the Académie française and in English at the British Institute School. He graduated in law at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid in 1978.
Following the completion of his military service
as an Alférez, he became a Legal adviser to the Cortes Generales
in 1981 after passing the public examination.
. In 1984, he is offered the position of special advisor to then-Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marcelino Oreja.
He joined the People's Party
at its foundation Conference in 1989, and was one of its candidates for the European election
held that same year. In October 1992 he became a Member of the European Parliament
, having been re-elected ever since. He has been a Member of the National Steering Committee of the People's Party since 1992.
He is currently the European People's Party
coordinator in the Committee on Constitutional Affairs
, where he has been active since 1994, as well as a member of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
.
He is also a columnist of the newspaper ABC, and contributor to the online newspaper El Economista.
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
) is a Spanish
Politics of Spain
The politics of Spain take place in the framework of a parliamentary representative democratic constitutional monarchy, whereby the Monarch is the Head of State and the President of the Government is the head of government in a multi-party system. Executive power is vested in the government...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and 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,...
with the People's Party
People's Party (Spain)
The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship...
since 1992, and Member of the Bureau of 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...
.
In 2009 he was named President of the College of Europe
College of Europe
The College of Europe is an independent university institute of postgraduate European studies with the main campus in Bruges, Belgium...
.
Childhood and education
He was born the 21st of January 1955 in Tetuan (MoroccoMorocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
), then under Spanish Protectorate, where his father had been posted as an Infantry Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. On his mother's side he is the grandson of Spanish novelist Carmen de Icaza, from whom he inherited the title of Baron of Claret in 1980.
He completed his schooling at the German School of Madrid, as well as language studies in French at the Académie française and in English at the British Institute School. He graduated in law at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid in 1978.
Following the completion of his military service
Military service
Military service, in its simplest sense, is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, whether as a chosen job or as a result of an involuntary draft . Some nations require a specific amount of military service from every citizen...
as an Alférez, he became a Legal adviser to the Cortes Generales
Cortes Generales
The Cortes Generales is the legislature of Spain. It is a bicameral parliament, composed of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate . The Cortes has power to enact any law and to amend the constitution...
in 1981 after passing the public examination.
Political career
In 1982, at the age of 26, he became Director of Interparliamentary Relations for the Cortes GeneralesCortes Generales
The Cortes Generales is the legislature of Spain. It is a bicameral parliament, composed of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate . The Cortes has power to enact any law and to amend the constitution...
. In 1984, he is offered the position of special advisor to then-Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marcelino Oreja.
He joined the People's Party
People's Party (Spain)
The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship...
at its foundation Conference in 1989, and was one of its candidates for the European election
European Parliament election, 1989 (Spain)
The European Parliament election of 1989 in Spain was the election of the delegation from Spain to the European Parliament in 1989.-References:...
held that same year. In October 1992 he became a 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,...
, having been re-elected ever since. He has been a Member of the National Steering Committee of the People's Party since 1992.
He is currently 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...
coordinator in the Committee on Constitutional Affairs
Committee on Constitutional Affairs
The Committee on Constitutional Affairs is a committee of the European Parliament dealing with institutional matters such as the treaties and the Parliament's rules of procedure. As of 2008, it is chaired by Jo Leinen MEP .-External links:*...
, where he has been active since 1994, as well as a member of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
The Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs is a committee of the European Parliament.Since Economic and Monetary Union , the most important function of this Committee has been in relation to the European Central Bank . Although guaranteed independence under the Treaty, the ECB is accountable...
.
- Chairman of the EP Delegation to the Convention drafting the Charter of Fundamental Rights (1999–2000)
- Chairman of the EP Delegation to the European Convention (2003-2003)
- EP representative to the IGC (2003).
Academic career
- Lecturer in constitutional law (UCM, 1981–1984)
- Lecturer in Community Law (1989–1991)
- Jean Monnet chair in European institutions (UCM, 1999–2004)
- Honorary Jean Monnet chair (2004)
Publications
He has authored numerous books and articles on European issues:- Una Reforma Fiscal para España, with José Manuel García-MargalloJosé García-Margallo y MarfilJosé Manuel García-Margallo Y Marfil is a Spanish politician andMember of the European Parliament with the People's Party, part of the European People's Party and is vice-chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs.He is a substitute for the Committee on...
(Ed. Lid, 1996) - Financiación de las Comunidades Autónomas y Corresponsabilidad Fiscal, with José Manuel García-Margallo and Vicente Martínez-PujalteVicente Martínez-PujalteVicente Martínez-Pujalte López is a Spanish politician who is currently a People's Party deputy for Murcia region. A former University Professor of economic sciences at the University of Valencia he is also a technical officer in the Official Chamber of Commerce for the Valencia region...
(Fundación Bancaixa, 1996) - La Apuesta Europea: de la moneda a la Unión Política, with José Manuel García-Margallo (Ed. Política Exterior, 1998)
- Europa paso a paso (2002)
- El rompecabezas. Así redactamos la Constitución europea (Ed. Biblioteca Nueva and Real Instituto Elcano, 2005)
- ¿Por qué una Constitución para Europa? 25 respuestas, with Marcelino Oreja and Juan Antonio Carrillo Salcedo (Ed. Real Academia de Ciencias Morales y Políticas, 2005)
- Alegato por Europa (Ed. Biblioteca nueva, 2006)
- Coordinator: ¿Qué fue de la Constitución europea? (Ed. Planeta, 2007)
- Editor: Liber Amicorum Marcelino Oreja Aguirre (Ed. Cinterco, 2010)
He is also a columnist of the newspaper ABC, and contributor to the online newspaper El Economista.
Decorations and Honours
- 1999: Salvador de MadariagaSalvador de MadariagaSalvador de Madariaga y Rojo was a Spanish diplomat, writer, historian and pacifist. He had two daughters....
European Journalism Prize - 2001: Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Meritof Spain
- 2001: Silver Medal of the Royal Institute of European Studies
- 2002: Medal of Honour of the Sociedad General de Autores y EditoresSociedad General de Autores y EditoresSociedad General de Autores y Editores is the main collecting society for songwriters, composers and music publishers in Spain. It is similar to ASCAP. The composer and performer Teddy Bautista is the Chairman of the Board of Directors. The SGAE was founded in 1941 as General Society of Authors of...
- 2002: Gold Medal of the Foundation of European Merit
- 2003: Prize to the MEP of the year by the Association of Parliamentary Journalists
- 2007: Gold Medal of the Committees of Action for European Union
- 2008: Grand Officer of the Order of the Star of Italian SolidarityOrder of the Star of Italian SolidarityThe Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity was founded as national order by the first President of the Italian Republic, Enrico De Nicola, in 1947, to recognise civilian and military expatriates or foreigners who made an outstanding contribution to the reconstruction of Italy after World War...
- 2009: Prix Capalbio - European Special Award
- 2010: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- 2011: Legion of Honour of the French Republic