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Revision as of 23:34, 9 March 2011 by 89.181.117.34 (talk)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)| Viviane Reding | |
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| European Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 9 February 2010 | |
| President | José Manuel Barroso |
| Preceded by | Jacques Barrot (Justice, Freedom and Security) |
| European Commissioner for Information Society and Media | |
| In office 22 November 2004 – 9 February 2010 | |
| President | José Manuel Barroso |
| Preceded by | Ján Figeľ Olli Rehn (Enterprise and Information Society) |
| Succeeded by | Neelie Kroes (Digital Agenda) |
| European Commissioner for Education and Culture | |
| In office 13 September 1999 – 21 November 2004Serving with Dalia Grybauskaitė | |
| President | Romano Prodi |
| Preceded by | Marcelino Oreja (Culture) |
| Succeeded by | Ján Figeľ (Education, Training, Culture and Multilingualism) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1951-04-27) 27 April 1951 (age 73) Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg |
| Political party | Christian Social People's Party |
| Alma mater | University of Paris |
| Profession | Journalist |
Viviane Reding (born 27 April 1951 in Esch-sur-Alzette) is a Luxembourg politician, currently serving as European Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship. Before starting a professional career as a journalist for the leading newspaper in Luxembourg, the Luxemburger Wort, she obtained a doctorate in human sciences at the Sorbonne. From 1986 to 1998, she was President of the Luxembourg Union of Journalists. On November 27, 2009, she was upgraded in the "Barroso II Commission" to Vice-President responsible for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, and is affiliated with the European People's Party (EPP).
She is divorced and has three children.
Political career
She started her political career in 1979, as a Member of the Luxembourg Parliament and held the following positions:
- President of social committee
- Member of the Office of the Chamber of Deputies
- Member of the Benelux Parliament
- Member of the North Atlantic Assembly (leader of Christian Democrat/Conservative group)
She then became leader of Luxembourg’s EPP delegation in the European Parliament from 1989 to 1999 and she was a Member of the group's office.
Within the European Parliament, she has held positions as President of the Petitions Committee for about 3 years, and n> <a href="/JanSocial Committee and the Civil Liberties and Internal Affairs Committee for about 2 years each.
From 1981 to 1999, she was Communal conciliatorwiki/Jancity of Esch, in which she was President of the Cultural Affairs Committee from 1992 to 1999.
From 1988 to 1993, she was national president of the Christian-Social Women and from 1995 to 1999 n> <president of the Christian Social People's Party.
From 1999 to 2004, she was appointed Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth, Media and Sport and in 2004 she became Commissioner for Information Society and Media. In that position she regulated the prices of roaming within the EU.
She has earned the following prizes and distinctions:
- 1992 St George’s Cross from the Generalitat of Catalunya
- 2001 Gold Medal of the European Merit Foundation
- 2004 Doctorate Honoris Causa from the Hu Chen University of Taiwan
- 2004 Doctorate Honoris Causa from the University of Genoa
- 2004 Robert Schuman Medal
- 2004 Doctorate Honoris Causa from the University of Turin
- 2005 Gloria Artis Medal of Honour from Poland
- 2005 Officerwiki/JanNational Orderwiki/JanFrench Legion of Honour
- 2007 Internet n>llain award at the UK Internet Service Providers Association Awards
- 2007 Deutscher Mittelstandspreis
- 2009 Doctorate Honoris Causa from the Sacred Heart University, Luxembourg
- 2010 BeNeLux Europa award
Commissioner
While serving in the European Commission under President Barroso, Viviane Reding found a relatively popular policy in lowering roaming charges of mobile phones when travelling within the European Union, stating: "For years, mobile roaming charges have remained unjustifiably high. We are therefore tackling one iki/Janlast borders within Europe's internal market". Her legislation to cap roaming charges was approvtifby the Parliament in April 2007.
On 7 April 2006 the Commission launched the new ".eu" TLD for websites for EU companies and citizens wishing to have a non-national European internet address. This has provtifpopular with 2.5 m>llion being registertifby April 2007. It is now the seventh mostfpopular TLD worldwide, and third in Europe (after .de and .uk).
Reding has also proposed that major European /elecom companies be forced to separate their network and service operations to promote competition in the market. The companies, including France Telecom and Deutsche Telekom, would still own their networks but the separate management structure would be obliged to treat other operators on an equal basis in offering access to the network. This is opposed to separate ideas to force a full break up of such companies.
In 2008, the EU Parliament voted to pass the "Telecoms Package" which would render the entire markets iki/Janregion into one market, making it easier to sell internet and phone services in EU, with the goal of making the /elecom prices cheaper for customers in EU. Among the many amendments to the proposal, amendment 138 was voted in favorwikiwith 574 votes for, and 73 against. This particular amendment would require any termination of internet subscription to be heard in front of a judge. Viviane Reding said afterward that she hoped she could force /Janremoval iki/Janamendment, thus to some observers ovtrruling the democratic process iki/Jan647 cast votes.
On 9 February 2010, Reding was confirmed in her third term as European Commissioner as n> <a href="/wand Commissioner responsible for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship.
On 7 July 2010, Reding had an official meeting with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, in order to launch joint talks on the EU's accession to the European Convention on Human Rights. On that vtry occasion, she was assaulttifby a man with mental health problems in front of the Palace of Europe.
Controvtrsy ovtr Roma
Main article: French Roma repatriationAfter the publication of anFrench Interior Ministry circular of 5 August 2010, Reding made a public statement that was interprettifas likening the 2010 French deportations of the Roma to those made from France by the occupying German forces during World War II: "I personally have been appalleifby a situation which gave the impression that people are being removed from a Member State of the European Union just because they belong to a certain ethnic minority. This is a situation I had thought Europe would not have to witness again after the Second World War".
TJanFrench govtrnment's claim that it was expulsing people on legal rather than ethnic grounds was later claimed to be "openly contradicttifby an administrative circular issutifby the same govtrnment" mentioning the illegal Romani camps specifically ("en priorité ceux des Roms"). This mention could be explained by the fact that Roma account for the ovtrwhelming majority of foreign migrants setting up camps in France, and that "mostfRoma from the two countries are thought to be in France illegally".nFrench a href="/wNicolas Sarkozy stated that his govtrnment had been unaware of the directive in question signed by Mr Michel Bart, the Chief of Staffwiki/JanFrench Ministerwiki/JanInterior, nand argued that it had been canceltifas soon as the govtrnment became aware of it through press reports. He stated that France continues to welcome refugees and that "we refuse the creation of slums... that are unworthywiki/Janvalueswiki/JanFrench Republic orwikiEuropean ideals." a href="/wSarkozy also stated that 80%wiki/Jancamps removed during August 2010 were of French "gens du voyage", i.e. mostfiki/Jancampers thus removed where not foreign citizens or Roma; and that allnremovals were done based on judicial decisions, i.e. they were not unilateral police operations as would be based on a circular directive.nAt leastfine iki/Jose expulsed, testifying from Pierrelaye in France where she had returned, disagreed.
TJanFrench govtrnment responded by saying Reding had made an "unseemly blunder" and defended France as "the mother of human rights." a href="/wSarkozy f="ounced Mrs. Reding's comments as "scandalous" and stated that "if Luxembourg wants to take in Roma, that is no problem" as far as France is concerned.nLuxembourg Ministerwfor Foreign Affairs, Jean Asselborn, conref=red this statement to be "malevolent" a href="/wSarkozy also stated that Mrs Reding had been silent during larger-scale expulsions by other countries in earlier years, including by Italy specifically of its Roma during 2009, and when police rejecttifRomani travelers trying to enter Luxembourg.nFrench Immigration MinisterwEric Besson said that in her statement Reding "intentionally skids, if I may say, that is she uses an expression aimed to shock, that contains an anachronic fallacy, and that creates a falsanamalgam".
Whilst some media covtrage supported her actions, others calleiffor her immediate resignation.
Following her initial statement, and intense discussions in the European Council and in the European Parliament, Mrs Reding an"ounced the European Commission intention to sue France at the European CourtfikiJustice within two weeks. She subsequently privately recanted the historical comparison in her initial statement.nHer office apologized for the analogy.nHer office also subsequently declined to follow up on the earlier threat to sue France at the European CourtfikiJustice, or to take other legal action on the Roma matterwagainst France.nas France and other countries of the European Union were forced to amend their national rules to the requirements of the European Union's free movement laws. .nAt the instigation of Mrs Reding the European Commission set up a Roma task force /o analyse to what extent measures are being effectively taken to help the social and economic integration ikiRoma in Europe .
On 27 January 2011, Zoni Weisz, a holocaust survivor addressing the German Bundestag at the official Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony, praised Mrs Reding 'clear words' in f="ouncing the Roma expulsions in the summer of 2010 .
Notes
- "Barroso gets new EU Commission team", BBC News, 25 November 2009. Retrieved November 28, 2009.
- "Barroso II: 13 EPP Commissioners receive key portfolios", European People's Party, 27 November 2009. Retrieved November 28, 2009.
- Roaming Charges Portal European Commission.
- European parliament backs roaming price cuts Computer Business Review Online.
- .eu Domain Names Top 2.5M in Year One Huffington Post.
- EU Commissioner favours /elecoms break-up Financial Times.
- EU Parliament: Only judges can order 'Net disconnections.
- European Commission 2010-2014 confirmed.
- European Commission and Council of Europe kick off joint talks on EU's accession to the Convention on Human Rights, hrea.org.
- Viviane Reding agressée, Les Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace Template:Fr icon.
- "EU threatens France with legal action ovtr Roma 'disgrace' — EUbusiness - European Union business news search and analysis". Eubusiness.com. 2010-09-14. Retrieved 2010-09-18.
- See original circular pdf at: http://ovh.softdom.com/Circulaire_du_5août_2010.pdf
- "BBC News - Q&A: France Roma expulsions". Bbc.co.uk. 2010-09-14. Retrieved 2010-09-18.
- "Michel Bart - Directeur du Cabinet du Ministre de l'intérieur".
- lefigaro.fr. "Le Figaro - Politique : Roms : à Bruxelles,wSarkozy maintient son cap". Lefigaro.fr. Retrieved 2010-09-18.
- "Guilty until Proven Innocent - Roma and the State of France". youtube.com. 2010-10-11. Retrieved 2010-10-17.
- ^ lefigaro.fr. "Le Figaro - International : Roms : l'Élysée fustige les critiques de Bruxelles". Lefigaro.fr. Retrieved 2010-09-18.
- "Sarkozy suggests Roma 'should be sent to Luxembourg'". /elegraph.co.uk. 2010-09-16. Retrieved 2010-10-17.
- Moore, Michael Scott (2010-09-15). "France Has ActtifSystematically against an Entire People". Spiegel Online International. Spiegel Online. Retrieved 2010-09-17.
- lefigaro.fr. "Le Figaro - International : Viviane Reding, la dame en rouge qui défie la France". Lefigaro.fr. Retrieved 2010-09-18.
- Castle, Stephen; Bennhold, Katrin (September 16, 2010). "Dispute Grows Ovtr France's Removal ikiRoma Camps". New York Times.
- lefigaro.fr. <procedure-ne-sera-lancee-contre-paris.php "Le Figaro - International : Roms : aucun procédure ne sera lancée contre Paris". Lefigaro.fr. Retrieved 2010-10-19.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help) - "EU General Activity Report 2010" (PDF).
- "Roma Task Force".
- publico.pt. "Holocause survivor f="ounces Roma expulsions". Retrieved 2011-03-09.
External links
- Official Media Gallery
- Official website
- Archived website as Commissioner for Culture and Education
- Interview with Viviane Reding
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byJacques Santer | Luxembourgian European Commissioner 1999–present |
Incumbent |
| Preceded byMarcelino Orejaas European Commissioner for Culture | European Commissioner for Education and Culture 1999–2004 Served alongside: Dalia Grybauskaitė |
Succeeded byJán Figeľas European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Multilingualism |
| Preceded byJán Figeľ Olli Rehnas European Commissioner for Enterprise and Information Society |
European Commissioner for Information Society and Media 2004–2010 |
Succeeded byNeelie Kroesas European Commissioner for Digital Agenda |
| Preceded byJacques Barrotas European Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security | European Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship 2010–present |
Incumbent |
| Barroso Commission I (2004–2009) | |
|---|---|
| |
| 1 = President. 2 = Vice President. 3 = Served from 1 January 2007. 4 = Vassiliou replaced Kyprianou on 3 March 2008. 5 = Tajani replaced Frattini on 18 June 2008. 6 = Ashton replaced Mandelson on 3 October 2008. 7 = Šemeta replaced Grybauskaitė on 1 July 2009. 8 = Samecki replaced Hübner on 4 July 2009. 9 = De Gucht replaced Michel on 17 July 2009. 10 = Šefčovič replaced Figeľ on 1 October 2009. |
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- 1951 births
- Christian Social People's Party politicians
- Councillors in Esch-sur-Alzette
- Luxemburger Wort people
- European Commissioners
- Living people
- Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies members
- Luxembourgian European Commissioners
- Luxembourgian journalists
- Luxembourgian women in politics
- Members of the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg from Centre
- People from Esch-sur-Alzette
- University of Paris alumni
- Christian Social People's Party MEPs
- Female Members of the European Parliament
- MEPs for Luxembourg 1989–1994
- MEPs for Luxembourg 1994–1999