SPEAKER: MARTIN BANGEMANN

Martin Bangemann was Vice-President of the European Commission, with responsibility for Industrial Policy, Information Technology, and Telecommunication.

Having joined the FDP (Free Democratic Party) in 1963, he was appointed vice-chairman of the party in Baden-Wuerttemberg (one of the German federal states) in 1969, and in 1974 he became chairman.

In 1985 he became national chairman of the FDP and in 1986 he was elected to the Bundestag (the German Parliament).

In 1973 he began his career as a European politician after being elected to the European Parliament, and from 1979 to 1984 he was Chairman of the Liberal and Democratic Group in the European Parliament.

In 1984 he was also named Minister for Economic Affairs in the German government.

In 1989 Martin Bangemann was appointed Vice-President of the Commission of the European Communities. The Commissioners determine all aspects of European Union policy.

Martin Bangemann was the senior German member of the European Commission and for a number of years was the driving force behind the development of EU policy in a range of areas. His enormous experience makes him ideally qualified to speak on European political and economic developments.

He is currently a Director of the Spanish Telecommunications Company Telefonica as well as being involved in numerous other European businesses and governmental organisations.