Biography

Born in Eys-Wittem, Netherlands, on 14 December 1943 PACE Member file

Married, three children

Education

• Economics: international administrative studies
• Catholic Economics Faculty in Tilburg (1966-1970)

Present and previous main functions

• Member of the First Chamber (Senate) of the States-General of the Netherlands (from 1999)
• President of the Committee for European cooperation of the First Chamber of the States-General (since 2002)
• Member of the Second Chamber of the States-General of the Netherlands (1977-1986 and 1988-1998)
• Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs with responsibility for European Affairs (1986-1988)
• Member of the cabinet of European Commissioner Pierre Lardinois (1973-1977) and European Commissioner Henk Vredeling (1977)
• Civil servant, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Netherlands (1971-1973)
• Teacher of economics (1969)

Other posts currently held

• President of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) (since 24 January 2005)
• Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) member (since 1989)
• Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Western European Union (WEU)
• Member of the executive board of the Dutch employers' confederation
• Board member of Kerk en Nood (Church and Need)
• Chairman of the Maastricht School of Management (since 1999)
• Board member of several associations in the agricultural sector

Party political posts

• Chairperson of EPP/CD group in the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) (1999-2005) and vice-chairperson (1989-1999)
• Second vice-chairperson of the Christian Democratic political group, CDA, Second Chamber of the States-General of the Netherlands (1982-1986)
• Member of the party executive of the CDA
• Member of the party executive of the former Catholic Popular Party, KVP, and vice-chairman of the KVP youth section

Other posts previously held

• Chairperson of the Netherlands delegation to PACE (2003-2005)
• Delegated representative of the First Chamber of the States-General of the Netherlands to the Convention on the Future of the European Union
• Patron of Stichting Lisboa, homeless children in Portugal (1995)
• Chairman of the advisory committee of the national school of translators and interpreters, Rijkshogeschool Opleiding tolk-vertaler (1990)
• Adviser to Combined Chambers of Commerce in Limburg (1989 and 1992)
• Member of Consultative Interparliamentary Benelux Council (1977-1986)
• Board member of the Netherlands Organisation for international assistance, NOVIB
• President of several cultural foundations

Distinctions

• Philippine Congressional Medal of Achievement (2005)
• Holy order of St Gregorius the Great (2004)
• Commander Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2004)
• Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau (1998)
• Knight in the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands (1988)