President of the Parliamentary Assembly Council of Europe (PACE)

Born in Eys-Wittem, Netherlands on December 14, 1943.
Married, has three children.

Background:

Economics: international administrative studies
Catholic Economics Faculty in Tilburg University (1966-1970)

Currently and previously held posts:

- Member of the First Chamber (Senate) of the States-General of the Netherlands (from 1999);

- President of the Committee for European cooperation of the First Chamber of the States-General (since 2002);

- Member of the Second Chamber of the States-General of the Netherlands (1977-1986 and 1988-1998);

-  Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs with responsibility for European Affairs (1986-1988);

- Teacher of economics (1969).

Other posts currently held:

- President of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) (since 24 January 2005)
- Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) member (since 1989)
- Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Western European Union (WEU)
- Member of the executive board of the Dutch employers' confederation
- Board member of Kerk en Nood (Church and Need)
- Chairman of the Maastricht School of Management (since 1999)
- Board member of several associations in the agricultural sector

Party political posts:

- Chairperson of EPP/CD group in the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) (1999-2005) and vice-chairperson (1989-1999)
- Second vice-chairperson of the Christian Democratic political group, CDA, Second Chamber of the States-General of the Netherlands (1982-1986)
- Member of the party executive of the CDA
- Member of the party executive of the former Catholic Popular Party, KVP, and vice-chairman of the KVP youth section

Other posts previously held: 
-  Chairperson of the Netherlands delegation to PACE (2003-2005)                                                                                                                      -  Delegated representative of the First Chamber of the States-General of the Netherlands to the Convention on the Future of the European Union 

 -   Chairman of the advisory committee of the national school of translators and interpreters, Rijkshogeschool Opleiding tolk-vertaler (1990)

-  Adviser to Combined Chambers of Commerce in Limburg (1989 and 1992)

- Member of Consultative Interparliamentary Benelux Council (1977-1986)

-   Board member of the Netherlands Organisation for international assistance, NOVIB
President of several cultural foundations

Distinctions

Philippine Congressional Medal of Achievement (2005)
Commander Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2004)

Knight in the Order of St.Gregory the Great (2003)

Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau (1998)
Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion (1988)