Personal & Academic Data

• Born on May 31, 1955 in Madrid.
• Degree & PhD courses in Law at the Complutense University of Madrid.
• Diploma in European Integration from the Diplomatic School of Madrid and the National Institute of Public Administration.
• Honorary doctorate from the University of the Americas, Chile.

Positions at the European Parliament

• Member of the European Parliament since 1994.
• Member of the Bureau of the EPP-ED Group.
• European Chairman of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly.
• Spokesman of the EPP-ED Group in the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security & Defense Policy.
• Member of the Special Group entitled to have access to the classified documents of the Council.
• Member of the Election Coordination Group.
• Vice-Chairman of the EPP-ED Group (2001-2004).
• Assistant spokesman of the Popular Parliamentary Group in the European Parliament (1994-2004).
• Member of the Temporary Committee of the European Parliament which investigated the secret flights of the CIA.
• Member of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (1994-2006).
• Member of the Sub-committee on Security and Defense.
• First Vice-Chairman of the Delegation of the European Parliament for Relations with MERCOSUR.
• Member of the Delegation of the European Parliament for Relations with Mexico.
• Member of the Delegation of the European Parliament for Relations with the Andean Community.
• Member of the Delegation of the European Parliament for Relations with Central America.
• Member of the Delegation of the European Parliament for Relations with NATO.
• Chairman of the Delegations of the European Parliament for Relations with the countries of Central America, Mexico and Cuba (1996-1999) & the Delegation for Relations with the countries of South America and MERCOSUR (1995).
• Rapporteur of the European Parliament on the Bi-Regional Strategic Association and Reinforced Association between EU & Latin America (2001 & 2006) and the Association, Political Dialogue & Cooperation Agreements between EU & Mexico, EU & Chile, EU & Andean Community and EU & MERCOSUR. Rapporteur on the Strategic Association between EU & Mexico (2009).
• Representative of the European Parliament at the 2nd Summit of Heads of State and Government of the EU, Latin America & the Caribbean (Madrid, 2002), the 3rd Summit of Heads of State and Government of the EU, Latin America & the Caribbean (Guadalajara, Mex. 2004), the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the EU, Latin America & the Caribbean (Vienna, 2006) & the 5th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the EU, Latin America & the Caribbean (Lima, 2008).
• Head of the Parliamentary Delegation to the 12th, 13th and 14th San José Ministerial Conferences with the Rio Group (2000, 2001, 2009) & the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (2001).
• Chairman of the European Parliament Observation Mission for the Presidential Elections in Peru (2001), Chairman of the Observation Mission for the Presidential Elections in Colombia (2002), Chairman of the European Parliament Observation Mission for the Elections in Afghanistan (2005), Head of the EU Observation Mission for the Elections in Lebanon (2005, 2009), Chairman of the European Parliament Observation Mission for the Presidential Elections in Peru (2006) & Head of the EU Observation Mission for the Presidential Elections in Mexico (2006), Chairman of the European Parliament Observation Mission for the Presidential Elections in El Salvador (2009).

Other Activities

• Member of the Popular Party (PP) National Executive Committee & Madrid Regional Executive Committee.
• Head of the Spanish Committee for the Paneuropean Union (2002-2004).
• Vice-President of the Juan de la Cosa Foundation.
• Patron of the Hispano-Cuban Foundation.
• Patron of the Activa-El Salvador Foundation.
• Member of the Advisory Council of the International Crisis Group.
• Author of books, articles & lectures.

Professional Activities

• Legal adviser to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food.
• Member of the inspectorate of the Ministry of Transport, Tourism & Communications of which he was the Head of the International Cooperation Bureau.
• Official of the European Commission where he was assistant director of the offices of Commissioners Abel Matutes and Marcelino Oreja.
• Professor of Civil Law at the Centre of University & European Community Studies at the Diplomatic School of Madrid (1985-currently).
• He has lectured in European Community studies at the University of Paris, the Lille, Trieste, Menéndez Pelayo, Complutense and Autónoma Universities & Polytechnic University of Madrid, as well as the Chambers of Commerce of Madrid, Barcelona  & Valencia, the Kingdom’s Association of Prosecutors, etc.

Decorations

Great Necklace of the Order of Merit (of the Latin American Parliament), Medal of the Peru Congress, Great Cross of the Chile’s Order of Merit, Great Cross of the Order of Antonio José Irisarri of Guatemala, Great Cross of the Order of Francisco de Miranda of Venezuela, Great Cross of the Order of Morazan of the Central American Parliament, Great Cross of the Order of the Quetzal of Guatemala, Great Officer of the Order of Andean Merit of the Andean Parliament, Great Officer of the Order of Bernardo O’Higgins of Chile, Great Officer of the Order of the Central American Merit of the Central American Parliament, Great Officer of the Order of S. Carlos of Colombia, Great Officer of the Order of the Guatemala’s Five Volcanos, Great Officer of the Order of Merit of Ecuador, Great Officer of the Order of the San Jacinto Battle of Nicaragua, Commander of the Order of Merit of Colombia, Commander of the Peru’s Order of Sun, Commander of the Order of Merit of Ecuador, Officer of the Argentina’s Order of May, Officer of the Order of the Aztec Eagle of Mexico.