Spanish Socialist Josep Borrell was elected as the next President of the European Parliament. In his opening address the new President thanked his predecessor, Pat Cox, who had, he said, had a brilliant presidency, active in representing the whole of Parliament and ensuring it had a salient profile as an institution.
The President said he would make a full statement of his plans in September, after time for consultation with the various leaders in Parliament. For now, he mentioned the installation of the new Commission, the plans for the new Financial Perspective, the Stability and Growth Pact, the Euro-Mediterranean relationship and the Middle East as key issues for the future as well as the ratification of the Constitution, which the Parliament would have to follow closely.
Mr Borrell began his political career in 1979 when he was elected as a member of Madrid's regional government and given responsibilities in the area of fiscal policy. In 1982, Josep Borrell was elected General Secretary of Budget and Public Spending within Spain's Finance Ministry. Two years later he was appointed State Secretary of Finances. In 1991, Borrell was appointed Minister of State Construction, Transport and Environment.
In 1999 and 2000, Josep Borrell was elected Chairman of the Mixed Commission of Congress-Senate for the European Union. In 2002, he was elected representative of the Spanish Parliament in the 2004 European Convention to debate the future of the European Union.
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