Karel van Miert
European Commissioner for Competition
In office
6 January 1993 – 13 September 1999
PresidentJacques Delors
Jacques Santer
Manuel Marín (Acting)
Preceded byLeon Brittan
Succeeded byMario Monti
European Commissioner for Transport and Consumer Protection
In office
6 January 1989 – 6 January 1993
PresidentJacques Delors
Preceded byStanley Clinton-Davis (Environment and Transport)
Grigoris Varfis (Regional Policy and Consumer Protection)
Succeeded byAbel Matutes (Transport and Energy)
Christiane Scrivener (Taxation, the Customs Union and Consumer Policies)
Personal details
Born(1942-01-17)17 January 1942
Oud-Turnhout, Belgium
Died22 June 2009(2009-06-22) (aged 67)
Beersel, Belgium
Political partyDifferent Socialist Party
Alma materGhent University

Karel Antonius Lucia Maria van Miert (Dutch: [ˈkaːrəl vɑ ˈmiːrt]; 17 January 1942 – 22 June 2009[1]) was a Flemish politician of the Different Socialist Party and official of the European Commission.

Biography

He was born in Oud-Turnhout. He studied at Ghent University (1962–1966) and gained a degree in diplomatic sciences. In 1976 he became adjunct-national secretary of the – at that time – unitary Belgian socialist party. Two years later he became president of the Different Socialist Party. In 1989 he was appointed European commissioner responsible for transport, credit and investment and consumer policy. In 1992 he was also put in charge of environmental policy. On 26 May 1992 he was appointed Minister of State. From 1993 till 1999 he served as vice-chairman of the European commission and was responsible for competition policy. In this period Van Miert was according to The Guardian "one of the most powerful men in Europe."[1] In 2001, he was awarded the Vlerick Award. He also worked with Eli Lilly and Company, a global pharmaceutical corporation. After his departure from politics Van Miert was an international advisor to Goldman Sachs.[2]

On 22 June 2009, 67-year-old Van Miert died at his home in Beersel, after falling from a garden ladder when he had a cardiac arrest.[1]

Political curriculum

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Cendrowicz, Leo (25 June 2009). "Obituary: Karel Van Miert". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
  2. ^ Foley, Stephen (18 November 2011). "What price the new democracy? Goldman Sachs conquers Europe". The Independent. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
Political offices Preceded byWilly De Clercq Belgian European Commissioner 1989–1999 Succeeded byPhilippe Busquin Preceded byStanley Clinton-Davisas European Commissioner for Environment and Transport European Commissioner for Transport and Consumer Protection 1989–1993 Succeeded byGrigoris Varfisas European Commissioner for Regional Policy and Consumer Protection Preceded byAbel Matutesas European Commissioner for Transport and Energy Succeeded byChristiane Scriveneras European Commissioner for Taxation, the Customs Union and Consumer Policies Preceded byLeon Brittan European Commissioner for Competition 1993–1999 Succeeded byMario Monti
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