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This article is about a historic position in the European Union, for the current foreign affairs position see High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

Commissioner for External Relations of
Incumbent Benita Ferrero-Waldner since October 2004
Appointer	President of the European Commission
Term length	Five years
Inaugural holder	Jean Rey
Formation	1958
Website	Benita Ferrero-Waldner

The European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, is a member of the European Commission with responsibility over the Commissions external representation in the world and the European Union's Neighbourhood Policy. The responsibility is shared though between other Commission posts (see below) and the High Representative. It is often more commonly known simply the Commissioner for the External Relations or Affairs as it has been previously known.

The current Commissioner is Benita Ferrero-Waldner (EPP) who is serving from 2004 to 2009 in the Barroso Commission. Her home state is Austria where she previously served as Foreign Minister.

[edit] Policy

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European Union
This article is part of the series: Foreign relations of the European Union
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The external relations policy of the Barroso Commission is based on three key basic propositions on the EU’s role in the emerging world order. The EU is a global player; it pursues a specific foreign policy philosophy which one could term “effective multilateralism”; and, thanks to its specific nature, the Union disposes of a wide range of foreign policy instruments which are particularly suited to respond to today's challenges. The President has established a Group of Commissioners, chaired by him, and in charge of six external relations services.

• Benita Ferrero-Waldner is deputy chair of the Group of External Relations Commissioners, and responsible for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy. She is responsible for two Commission Directorate-Generals: External Relations (Relex) and the EuropeAid Co-operation Office (Aidco).

• Catherine Ashton is responsible for External Trade. The Directorate General for Trade of the European Commission is in charge of implementing the external trade policy of the European Union. International trade will be at the forefront of international relations over the coming years.

• Louis Michel is responsible for Humanitarian Aid and Development Policy. A closely related goal is enhancing the effectiveness of the Union's development assistance. He is responsible for two Directorate-Generals: the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) and Development.

• Olli Rehn is responsible for Enlargement. This has been the key tool in enhancing the European model and meeting the objectives of foreign and security policy. The Enlargement Directorate General manages the process under his responsibility.

[edit] List of commissioners

The post has been under various names (Relations/Affairs) and often combined with Trade or other portfolios. In the Barroso Commission it has been combined with the European Neighbourhood Policy portfolio, hence its current name.

• Jean Rey (of Belgium) - Hallstein Commission I (1958-1962)
• Jean Rey (of Belgium) - Hallstein Commission II (1962-1967)
• Edoardo Martino (of Italy) - Rey Commission (1967-1970)
• Jean-François Deniau (of France) - Malfatti Commission (1970-1972)
• Jean-François Deniau (of France) - Mansholt Commission (1972-1973)
• Christopher Soames (of the United Kingdom) - Ortoli Commission (1973-1977)
• Wilhelm Haferkamp (of West Germany) - Jenkins Commission (1977-1981)
• Wilhelm Haferkamp (of West Germany) - Thorn Commission (1981-1985)
• Willy De Clercq (of Belgium) - Delors Commission I (1985-1989)
• Frans Andriessen (of the Netherlands) - Delors Commission II (1989-1993)
• Hans van den Broek (of the Netherlands) - Delors Commission III 1993-1995)
• Leon Brittan (of the United Kingdom) - Santer Commission (1995-1999)
• Leon Brittan (of the United Kingdom) - Marín Commission (1999)
• Chris Patten (of the United Kingdom) - Prodi Commission (1999-2004)
• Benita Ferrero-Waldner (of Austria) - Barroso Commission (2004-2009)

[edit] Lisbon

As a result of the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon, the Commissioner position will be merged with that of the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy to become the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

[edit] See also

• Directorate-General for External Relations
• Common Foreign and Security Policy
• Javier Solana
• Foreign relations of the European Union

[edit] External links

• Commissioner's website
  • The Commissioner's Cabinet
• External Relations' website
• EU in the world website
• ENP website