European Commissioner for Transport

European Commissioner for Transport

The Commissioner for Transport is the member of the European Commission. The current commissioner is Siim Kallas.

The portfolio is responsible for the development of transport infastructure in the European Union such as road and rail networks but also navigation systems such as the Galileo positioning system.

Contents

Tajani

Antonio Tajani is a Member of the European Parliament from 1994. Head of the Forza Italia delegation in Europe, on 8 May 2008 he was appointed by newly elected Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, as Italy's EU Commissioner. He subs for Franco Frattini that was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Barrot

Commissioner Barrot was approved by the European Parliament in 2004 and made a Vice-President in the Barroso Commission. However shortly after he began work, nationalist MEP Nigel Farage revealed Barrot had previously been convicted of fraud in 2000. French President Jacques Chirac had granted him presidential amnesty. A fact the Commissioner did not disclose during his hearing to the Parliament. Despite calls from some MEPs for him to be suspended he remained in office.

A major project during his term is the Galileo positioning system. Work on the system began a year before Barrot came to office and has developed since with the launch of the first satellite. However infighting within private sector partners may be a potential setback to the project with Barrot favouring greater funds from the EU budget [1]. Other work includes recent guarantees of air passenger rights [2] and the Single European Sky.

List of commissioners

Name Country Period Commission
1 Michel Rasquin  Luxembourg 1958 Hallstein Commission
2 Lambert Schaus  Luxembourg 19581967 Hallstein Commission
3 Victor Bodson  Luxembourg 19671970 Rey Commission
4 Albert Coppé  Belgium 19701973 Malfatti Commission, Mansholt Commission
5 Carlo Scarascia-Mugnozza  Italy 19731977 Ortoli Commission
6 Richard Burke  Ireland 19771981 Jenkins Commission
7 Giorgios Contogeorgis  Greece 19811985 Thorn Commission
8 Stanley Clinton Davis  United Kingdom 19851988 Delors Commission
9 Karel Van Miert  Belgium 19891992 Delors Commission II
10 Abel Matutes  Spain 19931994 Delors Commission III
11 Marcelino Oreja  Spain 19941995 Delors Commission III
12 Neil Kinnock  United Kingdom 19951999 Santer Commission, Marín Commission
13 Loyola de Palacio  Spain 19992004 Prodi Commission
14 Jacques Barrot  France 20042008 Barroso Commission I
15 Antonio Tajani  Italy 20082010 Barroso Commission I
16 Siim Kallas  Estonia 2010 onwards Barroso Commission II

See also

External links