Philippe Busquin

Philippe Busquin (French pronunciation: [filip byskɛ̃]; born 6 January 1941) is a Belgian politician.

Philippe Busquin
Official portrait, 1999
European Commissioner for Research
In office 13 September 1999 – 12 September 2004
President	Romano Prodi
Preceded by	Édith Cresson (Research, Science and Technology)
Succeeded by	Louis Michel
Leader of the Socialist Party
In office 1992–1999
Preceded by	Guy Spitaels
Succeeded by	Elio Di Rupo
Personal details
Born	(1941-01-06) 6 January 1941 Feluy, Belgium
Political party	Socialist Party
Alma mater	Free University of Brussels

Busquin was born in Feluy. He was a Member of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2009 for the French Community of Belgium with the Parti Socialiste, part of the Socialist Group and sat on the European Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy. Busquin was the chairman of the Science and Technology Options Assessment Panel. He also was a substitute for the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and a member of the Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee. His tendency to stutter has been the subject of satirical videos on YouTube, some garnering hundreds of thousands of hits.

From 1999 to 2004, he was Member of the European Commission with responsibility for research.

Education

• 1962: Degree in physics from the Free University of Brussels
• 1976: Postgraduate certificate in environmental studies
• 1980: First degree in philosophy at the Free University of Brussels

Career

• 1962–1977: Lecturer at the Nivelles teacher training college
• Assistant lecturer at the Free University of Brussels
• 1992–1999: Chairman of the PS
• since 1992: Vice-President of the Socialist International
• 1994–1996: Vice-President of the PES
• 1995–1999: Mayor of Seneffe
• 1977–1978: Ordinary Member for the province of Hainaut
• 1982–1986: Minister for the Budget and Energy for the Walloon Region
• 1986: Minister of Economic Affairs for the Walloon Region
• 1979–1994: Member of the national Parliament
• 1994–1999: Senator
• 1980–1982: Minister of Education
• 1981: Minister of the Interior
• 1987: Minister for Social Affairs
• since 1992: Minister of State
• 1999–2004: Member of the European Commission with responsibility for research
• 2004–2009: Member of the European Parliament (MEP)

Honours

He was awarded:

• Belgium : Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold II (1995)
• Belgium : Commander of the Order of Leopold (1987)
• Belgium : Civic Medal, First Class (1988)
• Honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University (2004)

See also

• 2004 European Parliament election in Belgium

External links

• Personal profile of Philippe Busquin in the European Parliament's database of members
• Declaration (PDF) of financial interests (in French)