Friends of Europe
    Europe's World
Praesidium and Trustees
The direction and focus of Friends of Europe's activities is decided in conjunction with the President, his Praesidium and our Board of Trustees.
President

Viscount Etienne Davignon

 Viscount Etienne Davignon
Viscount Etienne Davignon is Vice-Chairman of SUEZ-TRACTEBEL, Director of SN Brussels Airlines and Chairman of the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. He is also Chairman of the Compagnie Maritime Belge (CMB) and a member of the board of the Royal Sporting Club d'Anderlecht.

In 1959, Davignon joined the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was Head of Cabinet for Ministers Spaak (Socialist) and Harmel (Christian-Democrat). During his career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he was directly involved with Belgium's policies in Africa, the independence of Ruanda and Burundi and the solution to the Belgian and Zaïre conflict. He was also a key figure behind the report on the future of the Atlantic Alliance (Harmel report) and he presided the committee which prepared the first proposals regarding political co-operation between EEC members (Davignon report) in 1974-1975.

Following the oil crisis in 1973, Davignon chaired the International Conference which established an oil sharing treaty. From 1974 to 1977, he was the first President of the International Energy Agency , which had been created in 1974.

After leaving the civil service in 1977, Davignon was appointed Vice President of the European Commission in charge of industry, research and energy where he stayed until 1984. During this period he was active in the restructuring of European industry (steel, textiles, synthetic fibres) and promoting new research co-operative ventures in Information Technology and Telecommunication (Esprit, Race). He negotiated key agreements with the US, Japan and China.

In the beginning of 1985 he joined Société Générale de Belgique, Belgium's leading holding company of which he became Chairman on April 11, 1989 and Vice-Chairman on February 28, 2001. Since October 31, 2003 he has served as Vice-Chairman of Suez-Tractebel. 
 
Praesidium

Pat Cox Pat Cox                                   Pat Cox is President of the European Movement International and was president of the European Parliament from 2002 to 2004. Before starting his political career, he worked as a journalist for Irish television. He is also currently a senior counselor for APCO and Managing director of European Integration Solutions.  
 Jean-Luc Dehaene Jean-Luc Dehaene Jean-Luc Dehaene is Vice Chairman of the European Parliament's Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China. He was Belgium's prime minister from 1992 to 1999. He served as the Vice President of the Convention on the Future of Europe. 
 Baron Daniel Janssen Daniel Janssen Baron Daniel Janssen is a Member of the Steering Committee of the Trilateral Commission and the former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Solvay. He was also a Director of Fortis S.A./N.V. and Vice-Chairman of the Board of UCB, a Belgian pharmaceutical company, from 1962 to 1984.
Pascal Lamy Pascal Lamy Pascal Lamy is Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). He was European Commissioner for Trade. He also served as an adviser to Jacques Delors as Economics and Finance Minister and Chief of Staff to Delors under his European Commission Presidency.
 António Vitorino António Vitorino António Vitorino is a former European Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs and a former Portuguese Minister for Defence and Deputy Prime Minister. He was also the first European Commissioner to be responsible specifically for justice and home affairs. 

Board of Trustees
 Edmond Alphandéry Edmond Alphandéry Edmond Alphandery is President of the Supervisory Board, CNP Assurances and was France's Minister for Economy from 1993 to 1995.
  Giuliano Amato Giuliano Amato is the Italian Interior Minister and was Italy's prime minister from 1994 to 1996. He served as Vice President of the Convention on the Future of Europe from 2000 to 2001.

Michel Barnier

 Michel Barnier Michel Barnier is the French Minister for Agriculture and was France's Minister for Foreign Affairs and European Commissioner for Regional Policy and Institutional Reform.
 Enrique Barón Crespo Enrique Barón Crespo Enrique Barón Crespo is a Member of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs at the European Parliament and one of the Parliament's representatives at the Intergovernmental Conference for the EU Constitutional Treaty (2007).
 Carl Bildt Carl Bildt Carl Bildt is the Swedish Foreign Minister, and was the UN Secretary General's Special Representative to the Balkans from 1999 to 2001. He was Sweden's Prime Minister from 1991 to 1994.
 Joachim Bitterlich Joachim Bitterlich Joachim Bitterlich is the Executive Vice President for Veolia Environnement and was Foreign and Security Policy Adviser to Federal Chancellor Helmut Kohl. He also served as German Ambassador to NATO and then to Spain.
 Jean-Louis Bourlanges Jean-Louis Bourlanges Jean-Louis Bourlanges is a Member of the Committee on Transport and Tourism at the European Parliament and a Subsitute Member on the Committee on Constitutional Affairs.  He was Commissioner of Audit at the Court of Audits from 1979 to 1989.
 Laurens Jan Brinkhorst Laurens Jan Brinkhorst Laurens Jan Brinkhorst is The Netherlands' former Deputy Prime Minister
and was also the Dutch Minister for Economic Affairs and an MEP.
 Elmar Brok Elmar Brok Elmar Brok  is a Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs at the European Parliament, and is also one of the Parliament's representatives at the current  Intergovernmental Conference for the EU Consitutional Treaty (2007).
 John Bruton John Bruton John Bruton is the Ambassador for the European Commission Delegation to the USA and was Ireland's prime minister from 1994 to 1997.
 Günter Burghardt Günter Burghardt Günter Burhardt is the former Ambassador of the EU to the US and also served as the Commission’s Director General for External Relations. He was a close aide to Commission President Jacques Delors from 1985 to 1993.
 Henning Christophersen Henning Christophersen Henning Christophersen is a former Vice President of the European Commission and was the Danish Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister (1982-84), and Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1978-79.
 Robert Cox Robert Cox

Robert Cox is a former Senior Advisor to the European Community’s Humanitarian Office (ECHO). His previous appointments have included that of Commission Representative to Turkey.

Philippe de Schoutheete

 Philippe de Schoutheete Baron Philippe de Schoutheete de Tervarent is a former Belgian Permanent Representative to the EU and was the Political Director at the Belgian Ministry for Foreign Affairs from 1985 to 1987.

Yves-Thibault de Silguy

 Yves-Thibault de Silguy Yves-Thibault de Silguy is Chairman of the Board of Vinci and was European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs from 1995 to 1999. He is also a former Senior Executive Vice President of Suez.
 Anna Diamantopoulou Anna Diamantopoulou Anna Diamantopoulou is a Member of the Greek Parliament and was EU Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs during the Commission of Romano Prodi.
 Uffe Ellemann-Jensen Uffe Ellemann-Jensen Uffe Ellemann-Jensen is Chairman of the Baltic Development Forum and was Denmark's Minister for Foreign Affairs. He is also a trustee of the International Crisis Group.
 Franz Fischler Franz Fischler Franz Fischler is Chairman of FF Consult and was European Commissioner for Agriculture and Fisheries and Austrian Minister for Agriculture and Forestry.
 Monica Frassoni Monica Frassoni Monica Frassoni is Co-President of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament. She was General Secretary of the NGO 'Young European Federalists' (JEF) and Chairperson of the Europe Co-ordinating Bureau (ECB) of youth NGOs.
 Catherine Gernay Catherine Gernay
Catherine Gernay is Managing Director of CEN-SCK (Centre d’études sur le Nucléaire). She
was a member of  the Belgian Federal Council for Science Policy.
 Elisabeth Guigou Elisabeth Guigou Elisabeth Guigou is Vice-President of the French Delegation to the EU at the French National Assembly and was the Minister for Justice in the cabinet of Lionel Jospin. She later became Minister for Labour in the same cabinet. 
 Toomas Hendrik Ilves Toomas Hendrik Ilves Toomas Hendrik Ilves is the President of the Republic of Estonia and a former MEP. He was Estonia's Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1999 to 2002, and Chairman of the North Atlantic Institute in 1998.
 Sandra Kalniete Sandra Kalniete Sandra Kalniete was Latvia's Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2002 to 2004 and European Commissioner for Agriculture and Fisheries (2004). She was also the New Era party's candidate for the Latvian Presidency in 2007.
 Wim Kok Wim Kok Wim Kok is The Netherlands' former Prime Minister. He chaired the High-Level Working Group on the Lisbon Strategy in 2004. He was also a Dutch Minister for Finance and an adviser to the European Commission.
 Horst Günter Krenzler Horst Günter Krenzler Horst Günter Krenzler is the former Director General for External Relations at the European Commission and is now a counsel at the Freshfields Bruckhous Deringer Brussels office and Governor of the Asia/EU Foundation.
 Vytautas Landsbergis Vytautas Landsbergis Vytautas Landsbergis is a Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs at the European Parliament. He was Lithuania's Head of State from 1990 to 1992 and Speaker at the Lithuanian Parliament from 1996 to 2000.
 Spiro Latsis Spiro Latsis Spiro Latsis is President of Eurobank EFG and also a member of the Supervisory Board of the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation.
 Erkki Liikanen Erkki Liikanen Erkki Liikanen is Governor of the Bank of Finland and was European Commissioner for Enterprise and Information Society from 1999 to 2004. He is a member of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank.
 Robert Manchin Robert Manchin

Robert Manchin is Chairman and Managing Director of Gallup Europe, Chairperson of the Europa Nova Foundation and a professor at the College of Europe in Bruges.
 Peter Mandelson Peter Mandelson

Peter Mandelson is European Commissioner for Trade and was Tony Blair's campaign manager in the May 1997 elections that brought Labour to power in Britain. He became Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in 1998, and for Northern Ireland in 1999.
 Erika Mann Erika Mann

Erika Mann is Chairperson of the European Parliament 's Delegation to the EU-Mexico Joint Parliamentary Committee. She is also Chairperson of the Transatlantic Policy Network and a member of the Party of European Socialists (PES) in the Parliament. 
 Stefano Micossi Stefano Micossi

Stefano Micossi is Director General of ASSONIME and is a former Director General for Industry in the European Commission.
 John Monks John Monks

John Monks is Secretary General of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and was General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress in the UK.
 Mario Monti Mario Monti

Mario Monti is President of the Università Bocconi and was European Commissioner for Competition from 1999 to 2004. He is also Chairman of the Board of the Brussels European and Global Economic Laboratory (BRUEGEL). 
 Riccardo Perissich Riccardo Perissich

Riccardo Perissich is Director of Public and Economic Affairs for Telecom Italia and was Director General for Industry at the European Commission from 1990 to 1994.
 Alojz Peterle Alojz Peterle

Alojz Peterle is a Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee at the European Parliament and is the former Prime Minister of Slovenia.
Paul Révay Paul Révay

Paul Révay is the European Director of the Trilateral Commission. Between 1994 and 2000, he assisted the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Sadako Ogata, on her “Informal Advisory Group”.
 Keith Richardson Keith Richardson

Keith Richardson is a financial journalist and former Secretary General of the European Round Table of Industrialists.
 Michel Rocard Michel Rocard Michel Rocard is currently a member of the European Parliament. He is a member of the French Socialist Party (PS) and served as Prime Minister of France under François Mitterrand from 1988 to 1991.
 Jacek Saryusz-Wolski Jacek Saryusz-Wolski

Jacek Emil Saryusz-Wolski is Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs at the European Parliament and was Poland's Minister for European Affairs from 1991 to 1996, and again from 2000 to 2001.
 Javier Solana Javier Solana

Javier Solana is EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and was Secretary General of NATO from 1995 to 1999. He was also Spain's Minister for Foreign Affairs.
 Dirk Sterckx Dirk Sterckx

Dirk Sterckx is Chairman of the Delegation for Relations with the People's Republic of China at the European Parliament. He is a former journalist for Belgian press and television, and is a member of the ALDE party of Liberals and Democrats.
 Frans van Daele Frans van Daele

Franciskus (Frans) van Daele is the Permanent Representative of Belgium to NATO and was Belgium's Ambassador to the United States.
 Karel van Miert Karel Van Miert

Karel Van Miert is the former Vice President for Competition at the European Commission and was President of the Flemish socialist party from 1978 to 1989.
Our Trustees speak out
John Bruton: Meetings with members of the US Congress
29/04/2008 Read more
John Bruton: Food prices up by 40% in the last year.
16/04/2008 Read more
Jacek Saryusz-Wolski: Energy supply security has a growing impact on overall EU security.
3/03/2008 Read more

News
Spring economic forecast 2008-2009
Growth moderate, price pressures a worry but, overall, EU weathers external headwinds rather well
28/04/2008 Read more
Downward trend in EU greenhouse emissions
EU's greenhouse gas emissions for 2006 show downward trend in comparison to base year 1990
22/04/2008 Read more
Europe's World

The Only EU-wide Policy Journal
 

Europe's World Spring 2008 Issue

25/02/2008 The case for urgently re-starting talks on Cyprus There has been worsening antagonism between Cyprus’ Greek and Turkish communities since the 2004 collapse of the UN’s reunification plan. But David Hannay, who was Britain’s Special Representative for Cyprus from 1996-2003, says that with so much at stake talks should be re-started soon
25/02/2008 How Europe is starting to set global rules With its Reform Treaty, the European Union becomes a new animal, more than an organisation but less than a state, says Adam Daniel Rotfeld, a former foreign minister of Poland. He argues that its soft power strategy has helped to make Europe secure and prosperous, but asks how it should develop
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Our landmark headquarters

Friends of Europe is privileged to be headquartered in and enjoy the use of one of Brussels' most prestigious architectural landmarks, the 100+ year old Bibliothèque Solvay in the Parc Léopold next to the European Parliament.

The building houses the Friends of Europe team and hosts almost all of the think tank's events in Brussels.