The Convention on the Future of Europe will begin work on 28 February, with the objective of drafting a Constitutional Treaty for the European Union. Its Chairman will be the former President of France, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, supported by two Vice-Chairman, Giuliano Amato from Italy and Jean-Luc Dehaene from Belgium. The three of them will be Members of the Praesidium, consisting of twelve people. The full list of the Convention Members is as follows.
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COMPOSITION
I. Representatives of the Governments
Germany: Peter Glotz, University lecturer and former Social Democrat. Deputy: Gunter Pleuger, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Austria: Former ÖVP Minister of the Economy Hannes Farnleitner. Deputy: Gerhard Tusek, ÖVP Member of Nationalrat.
Belgium: Minister for Foreign Affairs Louis Michel, Liberal (PRL). Deputy: former Minister for Foreign Trade, Pierre Chevalier (VLD).
Denmark: Former Commissioner for Monetary Affairs Henning Christophersen, Liberal, who will also be a Member of the Praesidium. Deputy: former Conservative Prime Minister Poul Schlüter.
Spain: Ana Palacio, Member of Partido Popular and EPP-ED group at the European Parliament. She will also be a Member of the Praesidium. Deputy: former Deputy Permanent Representative Carlos Bastarreche.
Finland: University lecturer Teija Helena Tiilikainen, Director of Research in Political Science. Deputy: Antti Pletomäki.
France: Minister for European Affairs, Pierre Moscovici, Socialist (PS). Deputy: Permanent Representative Pierre Vimont.
Greece: MEP Giorgios Katiforis, Member of PASOK and PES group at the European Parliament. He will also be a Member of the Praesidium. Deputy: Professor Panayotis Ioakeimidis.
Ireland: Former European Commissioner for Agriculture Ray McSharry (Fianna Fail). Deputy: Bobby McDonagh, diplomat and former Member of Commissioner Padraig Flynn's Cabinet.
Italy: Vice-Prime Minister, Gianfranco Fini (Alleanza Nazionale)
Luxembourg: Former President of the Commission, Jacques Santer, EPP-ED MEP. Deputy: Nicolas Schmit, Permanent Representative.
Netherlands: Former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hans van Mierlo, Liberal (D 66). Deputy: Thom de Bruijn.
Portugal: Diplomat Joao de Vallera
United Kingdom: Minister for European Affairs, Peter Hain, Labour Party. Deputy: Baroness Scotland of Asthal.
Sweden: Vice Prime Minister Lena Hjelm-Wallén, Social Democrat. Deputy: Lena Hallengren.
II. Representatives of National Governments
Germany: The Bundesrat has designated Minister-President of the Land of Baden-Württemburg Erwin Teufel (CDU) and the Bundestag has chosen Jürgen Meyer (SPD). Deputies: Wolfgang Senff (SPD) and Peter Altmaier (CDU).
Austria: The Austrian Parliament is represented by Socialist Caspar Einem and FPÖ MP Reinhard Bösch. Deputies: Evelyn Lichtenberger (Die Grünen) and Gerhard Kurzmann (FPÖ).
Belgium: Flemish Liberal Karel De Gucht and former French-speaking Socialist Vice-Prime Minister Elio di Rupo, both of whom are former MEPs. Deputies: Danny Pieters (Volksunie) and Marie Nagy (Ecolo).
Denmark: The Danish Parliament has designated former Social Democrat Minister for Social Affairs Henrik Dam Kristensen and the Nationalist Peter Skaarup (Danske Folkeparti). Deputies: former Left Liberal Minister for Foreign Affairs Niels Helveg-Petersen (Radikale Venstre) and the Nationalist Per Dalgaard (Danske Folkeparti).
Spain: Gabriel Cisneros (Partido Popular) and José Borrell (PSOE). Deputies: Alejandro Muñoz Alonso (PP) and Diego Lopez Garrido (PSOE)
Finland: The Finnish Parliament has designated Social Democrat Kimmo Kiljunen and Centrist Matti Vanhanen. Deputies: Esko Helle (Left Alliance - Vasenmmistoliito) and the Conservative Riitta Korhonen (Kansallinen Kokoomus).
France: The French Parliament has designated two of its EU Delegation Presidents, Alain Barrau (PS) for the National Assembly, and Hubert Haenel (RPR) for the Senate, both of whom were Members of the Convention that drew up the Charter of Fundamental Rights: Deputies: Anne-Marie Idrac (UDF) and Robert Badinter (PS).
Greece: Former MEPs Paraskevas Avgerinos (PASOK) and Marietta Giannakou (Nea Dimokratia). Deputies: Nikos Constantopoulos (Synaspismos) and Evripidis Stylianidis (Nea Dimokratia).
Ireland: Former Prime Minister John Bruton (Fine Gael), who is also a Member of the Praesidium, and Labour Party MEP Proinsias De Rossa. Deputies: Martin Cullen (Fianna Fail) and John Gormley (Green).
Italy: Marco Follini, Leader of the Christian Democratic Centre and former Christian Democrat Prime Minister Lamberto Dini (La Margherita). Deputies: Valdo Spini (Democratici di Sinistra) and Filadelfio Basile (Forza Italia).
Luxembourg: The Luxembourg Parliament has designated Christian Democrat Paul Helminger and Socialist Ben Fayot, former MEP. Deputies: Gast Giberyen and Renée Wagener.
The Netherlands. The Dutch parliament has selected Christian Democrat René vander Linden and the Socialist Frans Timmermans. Deputies: Liberal Wim van Eekelen (VVD) former Minister and WEU Secretary General and Hans van Baalen (VVD).
Portugal: Socialist Alberto Costa and Christian Democrat Eduarda Azevedo (PSD). Deputies: Osvaldo de Castro and Nazaré Pereira.
United Kingdom: Labour Party Member Gisela Stuart and Conservative David Heathcoat-Amory. Deputies: Lord Tomlinson (Labour Party) and Lord Maclennan (Liberal Democrat).
Sweden: Social Democrat Sören Lekberg (Socialdemokratiska Arbetarepartiet) and moderate Conservative Göran Lennmarker (Moderata samlingspartiet) will represent the Swedish Parliament. Deputies: Ingvar Svensson (Kristdemokraterna) and Kenneth Kvist (Vänsterpartiet).
III. European Parliament
The European Parliament delegation consists of 16 MEPs and an equal number of Deputies. The breakdown via political grouping is as follows:
EPP-ED: German Elmar Brok (CDU), President of the Foreign Affairs Committee; British Conservative Timothy Kirkhope; Alain Lamassoure (UDF) France; Hanja Maij-Weggen the Netherlands; Inigo Mendez de Vigo, Spain, who will be President of the delegation and represent the EP on the Praesidium; Italian Antonio Tajani (Forza Italia). Deputies: Teresa Almeida Garrett from Portugal; John Cushnahan (Fine Gael) Ireland; Pia-Noora Kauppi (KOK) Finland; Reinhard Rack(ÖVP) Austria; British Conservative, the Earl of Stockton; and Joachim Wuermeling (CSU) Germany.
PES: German Social Democrat Klaus Hänsch, Vice-Chairman of the delegation and EP representative on the Praesidium; Olivier Duhamel, France; Luis Marinho, Portugal; British Labour Party Member Linda McAvan; Belgian Anne Van Lancker. Deputies: Pervenche Berès, France; Maria Berger, Austria; Carlos Carnero Gonzalez, Spain; Elena Paciotti (DS), Italy; Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Denmark
ELDR: British Liberal Democrat Andrew Duff, Vice-President of the delegation. Deputy Lone Dybkjaer (Det Radikale Venstre)
Greens/EFA: Johannes Voggenhuber Green Party, Austrian. Deputy: Scottish National Party MEP, Neil MacCormick.
GUE/NGL: Sylvia-Yvonne Kaufmann (SPD). Deputy: Esko Seppänen (Vasemmistoliitto) Finland.
UEN: Cristiana Muscardini (Alleanza nazionale) Italy. Deputy: Luis Queiro Portugal.
EDD: Jens-Peter Bonde (JuniBevaegelsen) Denmark.. Deputy: William Abitbol (RPF) France.
IV. European Commission
The European Commission is represented by Antonio Vitorino (Portuguese Socialist) and Michel Barnier (RPR, France). They are also both Members of the Praesidium.
V. Government Representatives from accession candidate countries with observer status
Bulgaria: Vice President for Foreign Affairs Meglena Kuneva representing the Bulgarian Government. Deputy: Neli Kutskova. The Parliament has designated Daniel Valtchev and Nickolay Mladenov. Deputies: Alexander Arabadjiev and Nesrin Uzun.
Cyprus: The Government has nominated former Representative to the EU Michalis Attalides. Deputy: Theophilos Theophilou. The Parliament has nominated Panayiotis Dimitriou and Eleni Mavrou. Deputies: Marios Matsakis and Androula Vassiliou.
Estonia: The Government is represented by former President Lennart Meri, the Parliament has not yet designated its representatives
Hungary: The Government is sending its Minister for Foreign Affairs Janos Martonyi. Deputy: Peter Gottfried. The Parliament is represented by the President of the Committee for European Affairs Jozsef Szajer and Pal Vastagh. Deputies: Andras KelemenandIstvan Szent-Ivanyi.
Latvia: The Government is represented by the Minister for Co-operation with International Financial Institutions Roberts Zile. Deputy: Guntars Krasts, President of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee. The Parliament has appointed the President of the European Affairs Committee, Edvins Inkens and the Vice-President of the Parliament, Rihards Piks. Deputies: Inese Birzniece and Maris Sprindzuks.
Lithuania: The Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Rytis Martikonis will represent the Government. Deputy: Oskaras Jusys. The Parliament has nominated Vytenis Andriukaitis and Alvydas Medalinskas. Deputies: Rolandas Pavilionis and Dalia Kutraite-Giedraitiene.
Malta: The Government will be represented by Peter Serracino-Inglott, Advisor to the Prime Minister and former Rector of Malta University. Deputy: John Inguanez. The Parliament has appointed Alfred Sant and Michel Frendo. Deputies: Dolores Cristina and George Vella.
Poland: Danuta Huebner, responsible at the Foreign Ministry for European integration, will represent the Polish Government. Deputy: Janusz Trzcinski. The Parliament has appointed Josef Olesky and Edmund Wittbrodt. Deputies: Marta Fogler and Genowefa Grabowska.
Czech Republic: The Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Kavan will represent the Government. Deputy: Jan Kohout. The Parliament has designated Jan Zahradil MP and the former Minister of Foreign Affairs who is currently a Senator, Josef Zieleniec. Deputies: Petr Necas and Frantisek Kroupa.
Romania: The Minister for European Integration Hildegard Puwak will represent the Government. Deputy: Ion Jinga. The full Parliament delegation has not yet been announced but it will include the President of the Joint Chamber/Senate Committee for European Integration, Senator Liviu Maior.
Slovakia: The Secretary of State for European Affairs Jan Figel will represent the Government. Deputy: Juraj Migas. Parliament has designated Irena Belohorska and Pavol Hamzik. Deputies: Olga Keltosova and Frantisek Sebej.
Slovenia: Matjaz Nahtigal will represent the Governemnt. Deputy: Janez Lenarcic. Parliament has appointed Slavko Gaber and Lojze Peterle. Deputies: Mihael Brejc and Danica Simsic.
Turkey: Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz will represent the Governemnt. Deputy: Nihat Akyol, Turkey's Representative at the EU. Parliament has designated Ali Tekin and Ayfer Yilmaz. Deputies: Kürsat Eser and Emre Kocaoglu.
VI. Observers
Committee of the Regions: Jos Chabert, Minister of the Brussels-Capital Region; Manfred Dammeyer, Member of the Regional Parliament of Rheinland-Westphalien; President of the Region of Flanders, Patrick Dewael; Claude Du Granrut, Regional Councillor in Picardy; the President of the Region of Tuscany, Claudio Martini; the President of the Autonomous Community of Valencia, Eduardo Zaplana, who will be chairing the CoR Delegation.
Economic and Social Committee: Göke Frerichs; Roger Briesch; Anne-Marie Sigmund.
European Social Partners: Emilio Gabaglio and João Cravinho.
European Ombudsman: Jacob Söderman.