Composition of the Convention on the Future of Europe
The Laeken European Council of December 2001 decided to convene a Convention to consider the main issues surrounding the future of Europe and come up with options and recommendations for the Intergovernmental Conference scheduled for 2004.
The Heads of State and Government of the 15 appointed Valery Giscard d'Estaing as President of the Convention, with Giuliano Amato and Jean-Luc Dehaene as Vice-Presidents.
In addition to the President and the two Vice-Presidents, the Convention is made up of 15 representatives of the Heads of State and Government of the Member States (one per Member State), 30 members of the national Parliaments (two per Member State), 16 members of the European Parliament and two representatives of the Commission. The candidate countries will be represented on the same terms as the existing Member States (one representative of the Government and two members of the national Parliament).
The Presidium is made up of the President, the two Vice-Presidents, the representatives of the three Governments which will hold the Presidency of the Council during the Convention (Spain, Denmark and Greece), two representatives
of the national Parliaments, two representatives of the members of the European Parliament and two representatives of the Commission.
Three representatives of the Economic and Social Committee, three representatives of the European social partners, six representatives of the Committee of the Regions and the Ombudsman will also participate, as observers.
The full list of representatives in the Convention follows.
Composition of the Convention on the future of Europe
The Presidium
President: Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, former French President.
Vice-Presidents: Giuliano Amato former Italian Prime Minister; Jean-Luc Dehaene, former Belgian Prime Minister.
Government Representatives: Ana de Palacio (Spain, current EU Presidency); Henning Christopersen (Denmark, to hold next EU Presidency); Georgios Katiforis (Greece, to assume EU Presidency in January 2003).
European Commission Representatives: Michel Barnier; Antonio Vitorino.
European Parliament Representatives: Klaus Hansch, former President of the European Parliament; Inigo Mendez de Vigo.
National Parliament Representatives: Gisela Stuart, Labour Party UK; John Bruton, EPP Ireland, former Prime Minister.
Plenary Assembly of the Convention
In addition to the President and the two Vice-Presidents, the Convention is made up of 15 representatives of the Heads of State and Government of the Member States (one per Member State), 30 members of the national Parliaments (two per Member State), 16 members of the European Parliament and two representatives of the Commission.
Government represesentatives of Member States
Austria: Hannes Farnleitner, former OVP Minister of the Economy.
Belgium: Louis Michel, Foreign Minister.
Denmark: Henning Christophersen.
Finland: Teija Tiilikainen.
France: Pierre Moscovici, Minister for European Affairs.
Germany: Peter Glotz.
Greece: Giorgos Katiforis.
Ireland: Ray McSharry, former European commissioner for agriculture.
Italy: Gianfranco Fini, Deputy Prime Minister.
Luxembourg: Jacques Santer, former President of the European Commission.
Netherlands: Hans van Mierlo.
Portugal: Joao de Vallera.
Spain: Ana de Palacio Vallelersundi.
Sweden: Lena Hjelm-Wallén, Minister.
United Kingdom: Peter Hain, Minister.
National parliament representatives of Member States
Austria: Caspar Einem; Reinhard Eugen Bösch, FPO.
Belgium: Karel De Gucht; Elio Di Rupo.
Denmark: Peter Skaarup; Henrik Dam Christensen.
Finland: Kimmo Kiljunen; Matti Vanhanen.
France: Alain Barreau; Hubert Haenel.
Germany: Juergen Meyer SPD for Bundestag; Erwin Teufel CDU for Bundesrat,
minister-president of Baden-Wurttemberg.
Greece: Paraskevas Avgerinos; Marietta Giannakou.
Ireland: John Bruton, former Prime Minister; Proinsias De Rossa.
Italy: Marco Follini; Lamberto Dini, former Foreign Minister.
Luxembourg: Ben Fayot; Paul Helminger.
Netherlands: Wim van Eekelen; Frans Timmermans.
Portugal: Eduarda Azevedo; Kimmo Kiljunen.
Spain: Vallelersundi Gabriel Cisneros; Josep Borrell.
Sweden: Soeren Lekberg; Goeran Lennmarker.
United Kingdom: David Heathcoat-Amory, Conservatives; Gisela Stuart, Labour Party.
The candidate countries will be represented on the same terms as the existing Member States (one representative of the Government and two members of the national Parliament), but will not be entitled to vote.
Government representatives of Candidate Countries
Bulgaria: Meglena Kuneva, Deputy Foreign Secretary and Head Negotiator for EU accession.
Cyprus: Michalis Attalides, former Cyprus representative to the EU in Brussels.
Czech Republic: Jan Kavan, Foreign Secretary.
Estonia: Lennart Meri, former President.
Hungary: Janos Martonyi, Foreign Secretary.
Latvia: Roberts Zile.
Lithuania: Rytis Martikonis, Deputy Foreign Secretary.
Malta: Rev Professor Peter Serracino-Inglott, Advisor to the Prime Minister and former Rector at the University of Malta.
Poland: Danuta Huebner, Head of the Government Committee for European Integration.
Romania: Hildegard Puwak.
Slovakia: Jan Figel, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Head Negotiator for EU accession.
Slovenia: Matjaz Nahtigal.
Turkey: Mesut Yilmaz, Deputy Prime Minister.
National parliament representatives of Candidate Countries
Bulgaria: Daniel Valtchev; Nickolay Mladenov.
Cyprus: Eleni Mavrou; Panayiotis Demetriou.
Czech Republic: Jan Zahralid, MP ODS; Josef Zieliniec, member of the Senate and former Foreign Secretary.
Estonia: Two members of parliament.
Hungary: Jozef Szajer, governmental majority, chair of the Committee on European Affairs; Pal Vastagh, Opposition.
Latvia: Edvins Inkens, chairmain of the Committee on European affairs in the Saeima, the Latvian parliament; Rihards Piks (MP).
Lithuania: Vytenis Andriukaitis; Alvydas Medalinskas.
Malta: Dr Michael Frendo, MP Nationalist Party, government side and former Minister; Dr Alfred Sant, leader of the opposition Malta Labour Party and former Prime Minister.
Poland: Josef Oleksy; Edmund Wittbrodt.
Romania: Liviu Maior and another parlamentarian.
Slovakia: Irena Belohorska; Pavol Hamzik.
Slovenia: Slavko Gaber, government coalition; Lojze Peterle, Opposition.
Turkey: Ali Tekin (DSP); Ayfer Yilmaz (DYP).
European Parliament
Jens-Peter Bonde, Denmark; Elmar Brok; Andrew Duff; Olivier Duhamel; Klaus Haensch, German and former President of the European Parliament; Sylvia-Yvonne Kaufmann; Timothy Kirkhope; Alain Lamassoure; Hanja Maij-Weggen; Luis Marinho;
Linda McAvan; Inigo Mendez de Vigo; Cristiana Muscardini; Antonio Tajani; Linda van Lancker; and Johannes Voggenhuber.
Thirteen persons will have observer status: three representatives of the Economic and Social Committee, three representatives of the European social partners, six representatives of the Committee of the Regions, and the European Ombudsman.
Economic and Social Committee
Goke Frerichs; Roger Briesch; and Anne-Marie Sigmund.
Committee of the Regions
Patrick Dewael; Jos Chabert, President of the Committee of the Regions; Claudio Martini; Manfred Dammeyer; Eduardo Zaplana and Claude du Granrut.
European Ombudsman
Jacob Soederman.
Social Partners
Emilio Gabaglio; Joao Cravinho; and another member.
With thanks to Malta-EU Information Centre