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In [[October 30]], [[2006]], Orban was nominated as Romania's candidate for the [[European Commission]] and from [[January 1]], [[2007]] he became [[European Commissioner for Multilingualism]] for Romania in the [[Barroso commission]].
In [[October 30]], [[2006]], Orban was nominated as Romania's candidate for the [[European Commission]] and from [[January 1]], [[2007]] he became [[European Commissioner for Multilingualism]] for Romania in the [[Barroso commission]].


Orban has not joined yet a political party, but he is considered of [[liberalism|liberal]] political leanings.<ref>[http://english.hotnews.ro/%27%27It%27s-professionalism-that-matters-for-an-European-Commissioner-not-the-country-of-origin-articol_43967.htm 'It's professionalism that matters for an European Commissioner, not the country of origin"], ''HotNews.ro'', December 12, 2006. Retrieved on [[January 28]], [[2007]].</ref><ref>[http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=2&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mediafax.ro%2Fenglish%2Farticole-free%2FRomania---s-European-Commissioner-Still-Undecided-To-Join-Liberal-Party-592921-9.html&ei=krG7Rdj_Ep3mQPzqtcQI&usg=__c9-c3YXxhdNC-GN-T2dzyb6mYbU=&sig2=WVcO9U6xcO4Jf9DLS6ZPCA Romania's Commissioner still undecided to join Liberal Party], ''Mediafax'', December 17, 2006. Retrieved on [[December 17]], [[2006]].</ref><ref>[http://www.eldr.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=978#ln3 New liberal Commissioners Meglena Kuneva and Leonard Orban approved by the European Parliament], ''European Democrats Newsletter'', December 6, 2006. Retrieved on [[January 28]], [[2007]].</ref>
Orban has not joined yet a political party, but he is considered of [[liberalism|liberal]] political leanings.<ref>[http://english.hotnews.ro/%27%27It%27s-professionalism-that-matters-for-an-European-Commissioner-not-the-country-of-origin-articol_43967.htm 'It's professionalism that matters for an European Commissioner, not the country of origin"], ''HotNews.ro'', December 12, 2006. Retrieved on [[January 28]], [[2007]].</ref><ref>[http://www.mediafax.ro/english/articole-free/Romania---s-European-Commissioner-Still-Undecided-To-Join-Liberal-Party-592921-9.html[[2006]].</ref><ref>[http://www.eldr.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=978#ln3 New liberal Commissioners Meglena Kuneva and Leonard Orban approved by the European Parliament], ''European Democrats Newsletter'', December 6, 2006. Retrieved on [[January 28]], [[2007]].</ref>


==Portfolio as European Commissioner==
==Portfolio as European Commissioner==

Revision as of 21:13, 1 February 2007

Leonard Orban
File:Leonard Orban.JPG
Leonard Orban
European Commissioner for Multilingualism
In office
January 1, 2007 – present
Preceded bynew post
Personal details
BornJune 28, 1961
Political partyunaffiliated
Politics of Romania
Constitution
Government
Parliament
Judiciary
Political parties
Elections
Administrative divisions
Foreign relations
Politicians
flag European Union portal

Leonard Orban (born June 28, 1961 in Braşov) is a Romanian independent technocrat and he currently serves for Romania as the European Commissioner for Multilingualism in the current European Commission, the Barroso commission, the executive body of the European Union. He is the first Romanian European Commissioner and the first European Commissioner whose portfolio is exclusively multilingualism. His term of office began on January 1, 2007, and finishes at October 31, 2009. With a background in engineering and economics, he has worked from the beginning for the accession of Romania to the European Union from various posts, most prominently as Deputy and, then, Chief Negotiator with the EU for his country at the time of final negotiations.

He is in charge of the EU language policy, a multilingualism language policy, focused on promoting foreign language learning, through EU programmes like Lifelong learning Programme 2007-2013, and on the effective functioning of EU's extensive interpretation, translation and publication services in the 23 official languages. This policy is implemented with a staff of 3,400 in total - about 15 per cent of the Brussels executive's workforce- and with about 1 percent of the EU budget.

Though officially unaffiliated, he is considered closer to liberalism. He supports Romania's closer European integration and stands for a strong European Union and relaunching the fringed Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe without modifications to the original text.

Personal life

Leonard Orban was born in an ethnically mixed family, to a father of Hungarian origin and a Romanian mother. He is the brother of Ludovic Orban, a Romanian National Liberal Party prominent politician, vice mayor of Bucharest. He is married and has a daughter.

His personal interests are foreign policy, classical music, reading and cinema.[1]

Career

File:Leonard Orban signing Treaty of Accession to EU for Romania.jpg
Orban signing the Treaty of Accession of Romania to the EU, Luxembourg, April 25, 2005.

Leonard Orban has studied engineering and, then, economics, and he specialized in European affairs. Alongside Romanian, he is also fluent in English and French and has passive knowledge of Italian.

He got a bachelor's degree (1981-1986) in engineering at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Transylvania University of Braşov, and a bachelor's degree (1987-1992) in economics at the Faculty of Management, Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies.

From 1986 to 1993 he worked as engineer subsequently for Tractor Manufacturing Company Miercurea Ciuc (1986-1989, Romanian: Întreprinderea de Tractoare Miercurea Ciuc), Enterprise for Special Industrial Constructions Bucharest (1989-1990, Romanian: Întreprinderea de Antrepriza Construcţii Speciale Industriale şi Montaj (I.A.C.S.I.M.) Bucureşti) and Institute of Research for Machine Manufacturing Technology Bucharest (1990-1993, Romanian: Institutul de Cercetare Tehnologia Construcţiilor de Maşini (I.C.T.C.M.) Bucureşti).

From 1993, he has served in various posts dealing with European affairs. He served from 1993 to 2001 as a Parliamentary Counsellor on European and International Affairs within the Chamber of Deputies of the Romanian Parliament. From May 2001 to December 2005, he served as Deputy Chief Negotiator and, from December 2004 to April 2005, as Chief Negotiator for Romania's accession to the European Union. In December 2004, he became also Secretary of State of the Ministry of European Integration of Romania coordinating Romania's preparation for accession to the EU, until he became European Commissioner. At the same time, he has held various other posts related to Romania's preparation for EU membership, and he has written numerous newspaper articles and analyses and has given numerous speeches on European affairs. In April 25, 2005, he was, together with the Romanian president Traian Băsescu, the Romanian prime minister Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu and the Romanian foreign minister Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu, one of the signatories for Romania of the country's Treaty of Accession in Luxembourg.[2]

In October 30, 2006, Orban was nominated as Romania's candidate for the European Commission and from January 1, 2007 he became European Commissioner for Multilingualism for Romania in the Barroso commission.

Orban has not joined yet a political party, but he is considered of liberal political leanings.[3][4][5]

Portfolio as European Commissioner

Leonard Orban is the European Commissioner for Multilingualism in the current European Commission, the Barroso Commission, the executive body of the European Union. He is the member of the Commission responsible for language policy of the European Union, i.e. promoting multilingualism for the citizens and the institutions of the European Union, a responsibility previously of the European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Multilingualism, Slovak Ján Figeľ. Orban is the first to hold this portfolio.

Politically, the portfolio is mainly focused on promoting foreign languages learning, specifically the target of mother tongue plus two other languages,[6] as means for worker’s mobility and business competitiveness rather than emphasizing language rights of speakers of regional, minority, lesser-used and migrant languages. In the European Union language policy is the responsibility of member states and European Union does not have a "common language policy". Based on the "principle of subsidiarity", European Union institutions play a supporting role in this field, promoting cooperation between the member states and promoting the European dimension in the member states language policies, particularly through the teaching and dissemination of the languages of the member states.[7] Though the European Union has very limited influence in this area as the content of educational systems is the responsibility of individual member states, a number of European Union funded programmes actively promote language learning, most prominently under the much wider Lifelong learning Programme 2007-2013. Though regional and minorities languages can benefit from European Union programmes, protection of linguistic rights is a matter for the member states. Orban is also responsible for the effective functioning of EU's extensive interpretation, translation and publication services in the 23 official languages of the Union. Language policy affects the overall European Union strategy of communication with its citizens and the effort to establish a European identity. In many of these issues, responsibility is shared with other Commissioners, mostly European Commissioner for Education, Training and Culture, Ján Figeľ. Orban is also responsible, alongside the President of the Commission, Barroso and Figeľ to work on "intercultural dialogue", including the 2008 European Year of Intercultural Dialogue.

Administratively, Orban is in charge of the Directorate-General for Translation, the DG for Interpretation and the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, as well as for the Multilingualism policy unit (EAC-C-5) in the DG for Education and Culture, with 3,400 staff in total - about 15 per cent of the Brussels executive's workforce- and with about 1 percent of the EU budget. Orban is also assisted by a cabinet of 13 members. French Patricia Bugnot is head of cabinet and German Jochen Richter is deputy head. It does not include any natively anglophone member.[8][9]

His salary is €18,233.38 (£12,202) a month plus housing allowance.[10]

Appointment procedure

File:Leonard Orban Hearing European Parliament..jpg
Orban hearing before the European Parliament, Brussels , November 27, 2006.

According to Article 45 of the protocol to the Accession Treaty of Bulgaria and Romania the new Members of the Commission representing the acceding member states would be appointed by the Council of the European Union, by common accord with the President of the Commission and after consulting the European Parliament.[11] Compared to former enlargements, the Accession Treaty for Bulgaria and Romania for the first time explicitly foresees the consultation of the European Parliament and constitutes the formal legal basis for the new Commissioners’ appointment procedure.

In October 30, 2006, the Romanian government proposed Orban as Commissioner designate for Romania, in agreement with the President of the Commission, Barroso, after Varujan Vosganian withdrew his candidature due to allegations concerning his past involvement with the secret police under Ceauşescu and party financing by a tycoon and after Romanian foreign minister Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu refused a nomination. Barroso assigned him the portfolio of multilingualism.[12][13]

The assignment of this portfolio to the Romanian Commissioner by Barroso was criticized as not being substantial enough for a Commissioner, as being a more administrative than political post, and the reasons proposed are that a technocrat rather than a politician was appointed by Romania[14] or the country's deficits in interior and justice policies, especially corruption.[15][16]

After a public hearing in Brussels at the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) of the European Parliament in participation with the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) on 27 November, 2006,[17] the Committee has given a positive assessment.[18][19] On December 12, 2006 he received the formal approval of the European Parliament in Strasburg with 595 votes in favour, 16 against and 29 abstentions.[20][21] The Socialist Group (PES) voted for Orban despite still considering that his portfolio should be ethnic minorities, but blamed for the portfolio the President of the Commission, not Orban.[22] On January 1, 2007, he was appointed by the Council[23] and on January 22, 2007 he was sworn in Luxembourg in a ceremony before the European Court of Justice.[24]

Orban holds the position of European Commissioner for Multilingualism for his country in the Barroso Commission for the term of office remaining until 31 October 2009.

Views on multilingualism

File:Kuneva Orban first meeting of the European Commission.jpg
Orban, Barroso, and Kuneva, first meeting of the new Barroso Commission after the 2007 EU enlargement, Brussels, January 10, 2007.
File:Leonard Orban oath.jpg
Orban's oath before the European Court of Justice, Luxembourg, January 22, 2007.

In his speech at the hearing at the Committee on Culture and Education of the European Parliament Leonard Orban focused on promoting foreign language learning.[25][26][27]

He said , "I will spearhead the Commission's work on a portfolio which has become more important with every enlargement". He assured Members of the European Parliament that his portfolio was a substantial one, covering a range of important political and managerial responsibilities.

"Politically, I will steer the Commission's work on bringing an active multilingualism policy into a variety of policies which are the key to the functioning of the EU and the internal market: culture, education and competitiveness", Orban told the committee.

"Europe's linguistic and cultural diversity is a source of richness which also needs to be nurtured and promoted," he said. Multilingualism was good for business, Orban told MEPs: "At first sight, one single language might appear easier to manage [... but] multilingualism can also give any industry a competitive advantage if it helps them to tap local markets and create new products which also cater for multilingualism."

He added that "our efforts to support multilingualism are not limited to EU languages; we are also encouraging training in Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Turkish and Russian". Leonard Orban said he would also aim to improve language teaching and work for the creation of a Business Forum on Multilingualism and to make the media and new communication technologies more language-friendly. He also announced a translation contest between schools from all over Europe, as part of events marking the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome.

He continued, "I would carefully analyse the results from the Action Plan for the promotion of language learning and linguistic diversity, the recommendations from the High Level Group on Multilingualism and the activities of the Commission internal network for multilingualism. Before the end of 2007, I would organise a Ministerial conference to discuss the way forward. I would then propose a new Action Plan in 2008 to continue work in this area."

He added that "The promotion of language learning and linguistic diversity is a general objective of the new programme for lifelong learning to be launched next year. For the first time, it will be open to all languages spoken in the European Union as well as to the languages of the EU's main trading partners."

He stated that protection of language rights was a matter for the Member States: "When it comes to language rights, I am not in favour of adopting legislation at European level to be imposed on Member States", he added.

His views on multilingualism fall in line with the current European Union language policy as described lately in the 22 November, 2005 Communication from the Commission "A New Framework Strategy for Multilingualism".[28]

Views on EU-Romania relations and the European integration

Orban defends Romania's accession to the EU believing that Romania can only gain from its entry,[29] and stresses the importance of a post-accession strategy for his country.[30]

Concerning the "future of Europe", he believes in a strong, cohesive European Union capable of being a major actor on the global scene. Economically, he stresses the need to step up the pace of implementation of the Lisbon Strategy, a ten-year strategy to make the European Union the world's most competitive economy by 2010.[31] Institutionally, he supports the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, voted down in referendums in France and Netherlands in 2005. He believes it should be ratified by the member states without further negotiations or without excluding some of its provisions.[32]

References

  1. ^ Curriculum Vitae of Leonard Orban for the European Parliament Hearing, European Parliament website, undated. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  2. ^ ibid
  3. ^ 'It's professionalism that matters for an European Commissioner, not the country of origin", HotNews.ro, December 12, 2006. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  4. ^ [http://www.mediafax.ro/english/articole-free/Romania---s-European-Commissioner-Still-Undecided-To-Join-Liberal-Party-592921-9.html2006.
  5. ^ New liberal Commissioners Meglena Kuneva and Leonard Orban approved by the European Parliament, European Democrats Newsletter, December 6, 2006. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  6. ^ Presidency Counclusions - Barcelona European Council, March 15 and 16, 2002. Retrieved on February 1, 2007.
  7. ^ Consolidated version of the Treaty establishing the European Community, Articles 149 to 150, Official Journal C 321E of 29 December 2006. Retrieved on February 1, 2007.
  8. ^ Cabinet of Commissioner Leonard Orban - Multilingualism, European Commission Directory. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  9. ^ Romanian EU commissioner names cabinet. English left apart, HotNews.ro, January 1, 2007. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  10. ^ Commissioner for languages to earn £12,000 a month, Scotsman.com, November 1, 2006. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  11. ^ Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania, Official Journal L 157 of 21 June 2005. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  12. ^ President Barroso presents the Commissioner designate for Romania, European Commission Press Release, October 30, 2006. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  13. ^ Romania proposes new commissioner candidate, EurActiv.com, October 30, 2006. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  14. ^ Romanian oppn wants better EU portfolio, The Peninsula (Reuters), November 2, 2006. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  15. ^ Leon Mangasarian, Interview: Romanian leader - tough EU entry terms not 'second class', Monsters and Critics, November 2, 2006. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  16. ^ Who do the politicians want to cheat?, Nine O'Clock, November 1, 2006. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  17. ^ Hearings of the two Commissioners designate from Bulgaria and Romania, European Parliament website. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  18. ^ Assessment of the Committee on Culture and Education, European Parliament website, November 28, 2006. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  19. ^ Assessment of the Conference of Presidents, European Parliament website, November 28, 2006. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  20. ^ The text of the decision: European Parliament decision approving the appointment of Mr Leonard Orban, the new Member of the Commission nominated by Romania, European Parliament website. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  21. ^ The results of the vote: MEPs approve the Bulgarian and Romanian Commissioners-designate, European Parliament Press Service, December 12, 2006. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  22. ^ Lucia Kubosova, MEPs back Romanian commissioner despite 'indecent' job task, euobserver.com, December 6, 2006. Retrieved on December 6, 2006.
  23. ^ Council of the European Union, Accession of Bulgaria and Romania: EU appointments and changes to Council procedures, January 1, 2007. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  24. ^ Solemn undertaking given before the Court of Justice by two new members of the European Commission, Court of Justice Press Release, No 05/07, January 22, 2007, Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  25. ^ Leonard Orban, Introductory statement - European Parliament Hearing, European Parliament website, November 27, 2006. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  26. ^ Summary of hearing of Leonard Orban, Commissioner-designate for Multilingualism, European Parliament Press Release, November 27, 2006. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  27. ^ European Parliament Hearings - Answers to questionnaire for Commissioner designate Mr Leonard Orban (Multilingualism): part B - Specific questions, European Parliament website, October 23, 2006. Retrieved on February 1, 2007.
  28. ^ Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social committee and the Committee of the Regions - A New Framework Strategy for Multilingualism COM(2005) 596 final, November 22, 2005. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  29. ^ Romanian to Become EU's First Commissioner for Multilingualism, Deutsche Welle, November 11, 2006. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  30. ^ Leonard Orban: "Stop fighting, start building post-accession strategies", HotNews.ro, December 15, 2006. Retrieved on February 1, 2007.
  31. ^ European Parliament Hearings - Answers to questionnaire for Commissioner designate Mr Leonard Orban (Multilingualism): part A - General questions, European Parliament website, October 20, 2006. Retrieved on February 1, 2007.
  32. ^ Summary of hearing of Leonard Orban, Commissioner-designate for Multilingualism, European Parliament Press Release, November 27, 2006. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
Preceded by European Commissioner for Multilingualism
2007–2009 		Succeeded by
—
Preceded by
—
 Romanian European Commissioner
2007–2009 		Succeeded by
—

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