Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
European Union

See also European Parliament

1989-95 Commissioner for Taxes, Revenue Harmonization and Consumer Policies Christiane Scrivener (France)
French 1976-78 Secretary of State of Trade for Consumers' protection (b. 1925- ).

1989-92 Commissioner for Labour, Social Affairs and Industry Vasso Papandreau (Greece)
Greek Deputy Minister 1985 and 1986-88 Alternate Minister of Industry
1988-89 Minister of External Trade, 1996-99 Minister of Development, 1999-2001 Minister of Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization and from 2001 Minister of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works. (b. 1956-).

1995-99 Commissioner for Immigration, Interior and Juridical Affairs, Relations with the ombudsmand, Financial Control and Anti-fraud Measures Anita Gradina (Sweden)
Swedish State Secretary of Family Affairs 1967-73, Minister of Immigration and Equality in the Ministry of Labour 1982-86, Minister of External Trade and Europe in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1986-91 and Ambassador  to Austria, Slovenia, The International Atomic Agency and the United Nations body for Industrial Development 1994-95. (b. 1933-).

1995-99 Commissioner for Science, Research, Education and Youth Édith Cresson (France)
French Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 1981-83, Minister of External Trade 1983-86,
Minister of Industry 1984-86, Minister of European Affairs 1988-90 and 1991-92 Prime Minister. In march 1999 she was one of the contributing factors in the downfall of the EU-Commission as she refused the step down after a rapport had demonstrated that she was responsible of nepotism and mismanagement. (b. 1934-).

1995-99 Commissioner for Environment and Atomic Security Ritt Bjerregård (Denmark)
Danish Minister of Education 1973  and 1975-78, Minister of Social Affairs 1979-82  and 2000-01 Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries. Chairperson 1982 and 1987-91 of the Parliamentary Group of the Social Democrats. (b. 1941-).

1995-99 Commissioner for Regional policies, Relations with the Committee of the Regions and the Cohesion Fund Monika Wulf-Mathies (Germany)
German trade union leader until 1989. From 1999 Advisor in the Office of the Federal Chancellor and later a mangager of the German Post. (b. 1942-)

1995-999 Commissioner for Fisheries, Consumer Policy and the European Community Humanitarian Office Emma Bonino (Italy)
Secretary of the Parliament Group 1976-78, Deputy Parliamentary Leader 1979, President 1991-93 and 1993-95 Secretary General (Party Leader) of of Partito Radicale, Presidential Candidate 1999. and from 2000 Leader of  her own list "Emma Bonino"

1999-2004 Vice-President of the Commission in charge of Relations with the European Parliament and Commissioner of Transport and Energy Loyola de Palacio del Valle-Lersundi (Spain)
Deputy Spokesperson for the Partido Popular Group in Spanish Congress 1989-1996, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 1996-99 and 1999 Member of the European Parliament and head of the Spanish delegation in the European Parliament. Died of cancer, and lived (1950-2006).

1999-2004 Commissioner for Education and Culture Viviane Reding (Luxembourg)
2004- Commissioner for the Information Society and Media
Member of the Bureau of the Chamber of Deputies 1989-99, Vice-President of the conservative, CSV. (b. 1951-).

1999-2004 Commissioner for the Budget Michaele Schreyer (Germany)
Leading member of the German Green Party, Minister for Urban Development and Environmental Protection in the State Government (Senate) of Berlin 1989-90 and Member of the Presidency of the Berlin Parliament 1991-95. (b. 1951-).

1999-2004 Commissioner for Environment Margot Wallström (Sweden)
2004- Vice-President of the Commission in charge of Institutional Relations and Communication Strategy
Swedish Minister of Civil Affairs (Consumer Affairs, Women and Youth) 1988-1991, Minister of Culture
1994-1996 and 1996-1998 Minister of Social Affairs. 2006 she said no to be nominated as candidate for the post of Chairperson of the Swedish Social Democrats. (b. 1954-).

1999-2004 Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs Anna Diamantopouluos (Greece)
Greek Deputy Minister for Development with industry portfolio (privatisation, industrial restructuring) 1996-1999, Former Civil Servant and MP and again from 2004. (b. 1959-).

2004 Commissioner without Portfolio attatched to the Commissioner for Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development Sandra Kalniete (Latvia)
Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs 2002-04. She was Deputy Chairman and of Latvian Popular Front 1988-90, Chief of State Protocol, Deputy Foreign Minister 1990-93,  Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva 1993-97 to Ambassador to France 1997-2002 and 2000-2002 also to UNESCO. (b. 1953-).

2004 Commissioner without Portfolio attatched to the Commissioner for Education and Culture Dalia Grybauskaitė (Lithuania)
2004- Commissioner for Financial Programming and Budget
Lithuanian Minister of Finance from 2001. Before that she was Vice-Minister of Finance 1999-2000 and Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs  2000-01. (b. 1957-).

2004 Commissioner without Portfolio attatched to the Commissioner for Trade Danuta Hübner (Poland)
2004- Commissioner for Regional Policy
Polish Minister of European Affairs from 2003. Former Under-Secretary of State of Industry and Trade, Minister and Head of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic, 2000-01 she was Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations before becomming State Secretary in the Chancellery of the President in Charge of Social Affairs in 1995-2000 and First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Secretary in Charge of European Integration 2001-03. (b. 1949-)

2004- Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy Dr. Benita Maria Ferrero-Waldner (Austria)
Career diplomat, 1993 Minister and Assistant Chief of Protocol of the Foreign Ministry, 1994-1995 Assistant Secretary General of the United Nation and Chief of Protocol. 1995-2000 Minister of State and since 2000 Minister of Foreign Affairs, in 2000 Chairperson of the Ministerial Council of OSCE and 2004 Unsuccessful Presidential candidate. (b. 1948-).

2004- Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Mariann Fischer Boel (Denmark)
Danish Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 2001-04. (b. 1943-).

2004- Commissioner for Competition Nellie Kroes (The Netherlands)
Dutch Member of parliament for VVD  1971-77, State Secretary 1977-81 and Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management 1982-89, President of Nijmrode University 1991-2000 and member of a number of boards of major Dutch companies. (b. 1941-).

2004 Designate Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union Ingrīda Ūdre (Latvia)
From 1998 Co-Chairperson and 1998-99 Vice-Chairperson of the Saeima Fracion of the New Party, before becoming leader of Leader Union of Greens and Farmers, and it's Deputy Parliamentary Group Chairperson  2002-04. In 1999 she was both Minister of Economics and Presidential Candidate and since 2002 Chairperson of the Saeima. Her nomination met with severe critic in both Latvia and the European Parliament and she was later asked to withdraw her nomination. (b. 1958-).

2007- Commissioner for Consumer Protection Meglena Kuneva (Bulgaria)
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chief Negotiator for the negotiations with the EU 2001-02 and Minister of European Affairs 2002-06. (b. 1957-).

2008- Commissioner for Health Androula Vassiliou (Cyprus)
Studied law in London and headed a private law firm 1968-1988 until her husband, Dr. George Vassiliou, was elected President of the Republic, engaged in a number of associations, MP 1996-2006, Vice President of the European Liberal Democrats and Reform Party 2001-06. (b. 1943-).

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Presidency of the European Communities/European Union

1980 President of the Council of the European Communities (Council of Ministers) Colette Flesch (July-Dececember)
She was Foreign Minister of Luxembourg.

1981 and 1986 Chairperson of the European Council Margaret Thatcher (July-December)
She was Prime Minister of United Kingdom. The Council is the supreme authority and central decision-making body of the European Union.  Bringing together the Heads of State and Government and the President of the European Commission, it embodies the highest political authority of the Member States and of the European Community. Itl generally meets four times a year.

2001 President of the Council of the European Union (Council of Ministers) Anna Lindh (Sweden) (January-June)
She was Foreign Minister of Sweden and Headed the Council, which is primarily a legislative body. It shares legislative competence with the European Commission and the European Parliament in matters relating to the European Community. The General Affairs and External Relations Council has a coordinating and initiating role in respect of the other eight Council configurations. The Council is assisted by a General Secretariat, which is currently headed by Javier Solana, the Secretary-General and High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy.The Council concludes, on behalf of the Community and the Union, international agreements between the EU and one or more states or international organisations, it co-ordinates the actions of Member States and adopts measures in the area of police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters.

2006 President of the Council of the European Union  (Council of Ministers) Ursula Plassnik (January-June)
The Austrian Foreign Minister he tends to stand out at diplomatic meetings due to her great height; 190.5 centimeters tall.

2007 Chairperson of the European Council Angela Merkel (January-June)
German Federal Chancellor. The European Council meets at European summits at about four times per year. The task as President of the assembled European Council, is similarly performed by the head of government or head of state of the member state holding the Presidency. The President is primarily responsible for preparing and chairing Council meetings, and has no executive powers.


 

Last update 22.04.08