Christos Papoutsis
Encyclopedia
Christos Papoutsis (born April 11, 1953) is a Greek
socialist
politician, serving as the Minister for Citizen Protection
as of September 7, 2010. Prior to his current office he has served as Minister of Mercantile Marine (2000–2001) and European Commissioner
responsible for Energy
, EURATOM Supply Agency
, SMEs, Tourism (1995–1999) and Social Economy
. He has also served as the Secretary of the Parliamentary Group and Parliamentary Spokesman
for the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK)
, the majority party in Greece (2009–2010).
, Greece
, in 1953 and later moved to Athens
where he studied Economics in the National and Kapodistrian University
. Since his university years he became politically active in the democratic movement against dictatorship (junta) and later, after the establishment of democracy in 1974, he became a member of PASOK. He has been president of the Greek National Union of Students (1978–1980), Deputy Secretary of PASOK Youth Movement (1978–1981) and Organisation Policy Secretary of PASOK Central Committee (1982–1985).
.
From 1984 to 1995, he was elected Member of the European Parliament
for three consecutive terms (1984, 1989, 1994). During this period he held the positions of Vice-President of the Socialist Group of the European Parliament
(1987–1994) and leader of PASOK delegation in the European Parliament (1989–1994).
Along with his mandate in the European Parliament, he served as International Relations Secretary and PASOK Representative at the Socialist International
, from 1988 to 1994.
From 1995 to 1999, he was appointed the European Commissioner for Energy under Santer
and Marin
Presidencies, with an extended portfolio pertaining to Energy, EURATOM Supply Agency, SMEs, Tourism and Social Economy. During his mandate he put forward a series of policies in the areas of Green Energy
, Enterprise Policy, Commerce, Tourism and Social Economy.
Since 2000 he is elected consecutively member of the Hellenic Parliament
with PASOK (2000, 2004, 2007 and 2009 elections). He was Minister of Mercantile Marine (2000–2001) and Head of the opposition in the municipal council of Athens
(2002–2006). Since the re-election of PASOK to power, in October 2009, he holds the office of Secretary of the Parliamentary Group and Parliamentary Spokesman.
During his political career he has been accredited with the following awards:
he spearheaded the efforts for the promotion of a series of policies in the fields of Energy, Renewable Energy Sources
, SMEs and Tourism. In particular he launched:
Papoutsis also worked actively towards the agreement reached by the 15 Member States for the deregulation of the internal electricity and natural gas markets and was the Commissioner to conclude the negotiations for the latest nuclear agreement between the European Union and the USA.
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Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
politician, serving as the Minister for Citizen Protection
Minister for Citizen Protection
The Ministry of Citizen Protection is a government department of Greece responsible for the running of the country's security services, i.e. the Hellenic Police, the Hellenic Fire Service, the Hellenic Coast Guard, the Greek Agrarian Police, the Secretariat for Civil Defense, and the National...
as of September 7, 2010. Prior to his current office he has served as Minister of Mercantile Marine (2000–2001) and European Commissioner
European Commissioner
A European Commissioner is a member of the 27-member European Commission. Each Member within the college holds a specific portfolio and are led by the President of the European Commission...
responsible for Energy
European Commissioner for Energy
The Commissioner for Energy is a member of the European Commission. The current Commissioner is Günther Oettinger .-Responsibilities:The Commissioner holds responsibility for the European Union's energy policy as well as nuclear issues . It was previously a backwater in the Commission but has now...
, EURATOM Supply Agency
European Atomic Energy Community
The European Atomic Energy Community is an international organisation which is legally distinct from the European Union , but has the same membership, and is governed by the EU's institutions....
, SMEs, Tourism (1995–1999) and Social Economy
Social economy
Social economy refers to a third sector in economies between the private sector and business or, the public sector and government. It includes organisations such as cooperatives, non-governmental organisations and charities....
. He has also served as the Secretary of the Parliamentary Group and Parliamentary Spokesman
Spokesman
A spokesperson or spokesman or spokeswoman is someone engaged or elected to speak on behalf of others.In the present media-sensitive world, many organizations are increasingly likely to employ professionals who have received formal training in journalism, communications, public relations and...
for the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK)
Panhellenic Socialist Movement
The Panhellenic Socialist Movement , known mostly by its acronym PASOK , is one of the two major political parties in Greece. Founded on 3 September 1974 by Andreas Papandreou, in 1981 PASOK became Greece's first social democratic party to win a majority in parliament.The party is a socialist party...
, the majority party in Greece (2009–2010).
Early life
He was born in LarissaLarissa
Larissa is the capital and biggest city of the Thessaly region of Greece and capital of the Larissa regional unit. It is a principal agricultural centre and a national transportation hub, linked by road and rail with the port of Volos, the city of Thessaloniki and Athens...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, in 1953 and later moved to Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
where he studied Economics in the National and Kapodistrian University
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , usually referred to simply as the University of Athens, is the oldest university in Southeast Europe and has been in continuous operation since its establishment in 1837. Today, it is the second-largest institution of higher learning in Greece,...
. Since his university years he became politically active in the democratic movement against dictatorship (junta) and later, after the establishment of democracy in 1974, he became a member of PASOK. He has been president of the Greek National Union of Students (1978–1980), Deputy Secretary of PASOK Youth Movement (1978–1981) and Organisation Policy Secretary of PASOK Central Committee (1982–1985).
Political career
Christos Papoutsis started his political career in 1982. Since then he has held a number of posts within the Panhellenic Socialist Movement, the European Institutions and the Greek GovernmentPolitics of Greece
The Politics of Greece takes place in a large parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Greece is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Hellenic Parliament...
.
From 1984 to 1995, he was elected Member of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
for three consecutive terms (1984, 1989, 1994). During this period he held the positions of Vice-President of the Socialist Group of the European Parliament
Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats is the social-democratic political group in the European Parliament, formed by MEPs of the Party of European Socialists and allied centre-left parties. The group dates its ancestry via various names back to the beginning of the European...
(1987–1994) and leader of PASOK delegation in the European Parliament (1989–1994).
Along with his mandate in the European Parliament, he served as International Relations Secretary and PASOK Representative at the Socialist International
Socialist International
The Socialist International is a worldwide organization of democratic socialist, social democratic and labour political parties. It was formed in 1951.- History :...
, from 1988 to 1994.
From 1995 to 1999, he was appointed the European Commissioner for Energy under Santer
Santer Commission
The Santer Commission was the European Commission in office between 23 January 1995 and 15 March 1999. The administration was led by Jacques Santer ....
and Marin
Marín Commission
The Marín Commission is an interim European Commission that served in office from 16 March 1999 to 12 September 1999. It consisted of its president, Manuel Marín, and the other commissioners....
Presidencies, with an extended portfolio pertaining to Energy, EURATOM Supply Agency, SMEs, Tourism and Social Economy. During his mandate he put forward a series of policies in the areas of Green Energy
Sustainable energy
Sustainable energy is the provision of energy that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable energy sources include all renewable energy sources, such as hydroelectricity, solar energy, wind energy, wave power, geothermal...
, Enterprise Policy, Commerce, Tourism and Social Economy.
Since 2000 he is elected consecutively member of the Hellenic Parliament
Hellenic Parliament
The Hellenic Parliament , also the Parliament of the Hellenes, is the Parliament of Greece, located in the Parliament House , overlooking Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece....
with PASOK (2000, 2004, 2007 and 2009 elections). He was Minister of Mercantile Marine (2000–2001) and Head of the opposition in the municipal council of Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
(2002–2006). Since the re-election of PASOK to power, in October 2009, he holds the office of Secretary of the Parliamentary Group and Parliamentary Spokesman.
During his political career he has been accredited with the following awards:
- Highest Mark of Distinction, with Cross, by the President of the Republic of AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
for his contribution to the accession of Austria to the European UnionEuropean UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, (May 18, 1995). - Highest Mark of Distinction by the President of the Republic of ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, the Gran Official of the Orden Libertador Bernardo O'HigginsBernardo O'HigginsBernardo O'Higgins Riquelme was a Chilean independence leader who, together with José de San Martín, freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence. Although he was the second Supreme Director of Chile , he is considered one of Chile's founding fathers, as he was the first holder...
, for his contribution to the restoration of democracy in Chile (April 15, 1998).
Initiatives and Controversies
During his mandate at the European CommissionEuropean Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
he spearheaded the efforts for the promotion of a series of policies in the fields of Energy, Renewable Energy Sources
Renewable energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
, SMEs and Tourism. In particular he launched:
- The adoption of the White Papers "An Energy Policy for the European Union" and "A Strategy and Action Plan for the promotion of Renewable Energy Sources".
- The formation of the Directive to tackle late payments in commercial transactions, the RecommendationEuropean Union recommendationA recommendation in the European Union, according to Article 288 of the Treaty on European Union , is one of two kinds of non-binding acts cited in the Treaty of Rome....
for the promotion of Entrepreneurship and the Initiative for Growth and Employment. - The Green Papers on Commerce and Tourism in conjunction with the first multiannual programme for the strengthening of the Tourism industry and the Communication on combating child sex tourism.
Papoutsis also worked actively towards the agreement reached by the 15 Member States for the deregulation of the internal electricity and natural gas markets and was the Commissioner to conclude the negotiations for the latest nuclear agreement between the European Union and the USA.
Publications
- European Destinations , by Christos Papoutsis, 1994, ISBN 960-236-433-5,
- The Colour of the Future , by Christos Papoutsis, 1998, ISBN 960-14-0006-0,
- For Europe in the 21st Century , by Christos Papoutsis, 1999, ISBN 960-14-0154-7,
External links
- Official Website of Christos Papoutsis
- Official Page of Christos Papoutsis on Facebook
- Official Account of Christos Papoutsis on Twitter
- Official WebTV Channel of Christos Papoutsis on Youtube
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