Olli Rehn

Olli Rehn (pronunciation (help· info)) (born 31 March 1962) is a Finnish politician, currently serving as European Commissioner for Enlargement. Download high resolution version (842x558, 83 KB)Olli Rehn, Finnish politician and European Commissioner for Enlargement. ... Download high resolution version (842x558, 83 KB)Olli Rehn, Finnish politician and European Commissioner for Enlargement. ... Image File history File links Fi-Olli_Rehn. ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (91st in leap years), with 275 days remaining. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... The Commission seat in Brussels The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive body of the European Union. ... The European Union (EU) was created by six founding states in 1957 (following the earlier establishment by the same six states of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1952) and has grown to 27 member states. ...

Early career

Born in Mikkeli in Eastern Finland, Rehn studied economics, international relations and journalism at Macalester College, Saint Paul, USA. He took a master's degree in political science from the University of Helsinki in 1989, and a PhD from the University of Oxford in 1996 on the subject of "Corporatism and Industrial Competitiveness in Small European States". Mikkeli (or St. ... The Province of Eastern Finland is a province of Finland. ... Macalester College (popularly known as Mac) is a privately supported, coeducational liberal arts college in Saint Paul, Minnesota. ... Nickname: Location in Ramsey County and the state of Minnesota. ... “M.S.” redirects here. ... University of Helsinki is not to be confused with Helsinki University of Technology. ... Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated Ph. ... The University of Oxford (usually abbreviated as Oxon. ...

Rehn also played football for his hometown club Mikkelin Palloilijat in Finland's top division Mestaruussarja (now Veikkausliiga) in his youth. Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Mikkelin Palloilijat (or MP) is a Finnish football club, based in Mikkeli. ... Veikkausliiga is the premier division of Finnish football, comprising the top 14 clubs of the country (season 2006 is played exceptionally with 13 teams because of the AC Allianssi-bankrupt). ...

He began his political career as a city councillor in Helsinki in 1988. He was vice-president of the Centre Party from 1988 to 1994, having been president of its youth wing from 1987. Elected to the Finnish Parliament in 1991, Rehn led the Finnish delegation to the Council of Europe, and was a special adviser to the Finnish Prime Minister Esko Aho from 1992 to 1993. He left the Finnish Parliament in 1995 to become an MEP, aligned to the liberal group. Nickname: Location of Helsinki in Northern Europe Coordinates: Country Finland Province Southern Finland Region Uusimaa Sub-region Helsinki Charter 1550 Capital city 1812 Government  - Lord Mayor Jussi Pajunen  - Mayor Pekka Korpinen  - Mayor Ilkka-Christian Björklund  - Mayor Pekka Sauri  - Mayor Paula Kokkonen Area  - City 187. ... The Centre Party (in Finnish: Suomen Keskusta, ) is a centrist political party in Finland. ... The Eduskunta in Finnish, or the Riksdag in Swedish, is the parliament of Finland. ... Anthem Ode to Joy (orchestral)  ten founding members joined subsequently observer at the Parliamentary Assembly observer at the Committee of Ministers  official candidate Seat Strasbourg, France Membership 47 European states 6 observers (Council) 3 observers (Assembly) Leaders  -  Secretary General  Terry Davis  -  Commissioner for Human Rights   Establishment  -  Treaty of London May... The Prime Minister (Finnish Pääministeri, Swedish: Statsminister) is the head of government in Finland. ... Esko Tapani Aho (born May 20, 1954) is a statesman and former Prime Minister of Finland. ... A Member of the European Parliament (English abbreviation MEP)[1] is a member of the European Unions directly-elected legislative body, the European Parliament. ... The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (founded in 1993) is a liberal party, mainly active in the European Union, composed of 49 national liberal and centrist parties from across Europe. ...

He was briefly the chairman of Veikkausliiga from 1996 to 1997. From 1998 to 2002 Rehn ran the office of Erkki Liikanen, Finland's representative on the Prodi Commission. Rehn would later succeed Liikanen in the role of Commissioner for Enterprise and Information Society. In 2002 he left European politics for the University of Helsinki, where he led the Centre for European Studies. In 2003 he became an adviser to the Prime Minister on economic policy, a position he held until his appointment to the European Commission the following year. Erkki Liikanen (born September 19, 1950) is a Finnish politician. ... The Prodi Commission was the European Commission from 1999 to 2004. ...

Rehn is married with one child. He is the youngest member of the present Commission. In addition to his native Finnish he speaks English, French, Swedish, and some German. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

European Commission

Olli Rehn addressing the Romanian government during his visit to Romania in March 2005

Rehn served briefly in the Prodi Commission. He was appointed European Commissioner for Enterprise and Information Society on 12 July 2004, taking over the role from the previous Finnish Commissioner Erkki Liikanen, who left his post the same day to become Governor of the Bank of Finland. The Finnish government nominated Rehn for the incoming Barroso Commission which took office on 22 November 2004. ImageMetadata File history File links Olli_Rehn_in_Romania. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Olli_Rehn_in_Romania. ... The Bank of Finland, Helsinki, with the statue of Johan Vilhelm Snellman in front. ... The Barroso Commission is the European Commission that has been in office since 22 November 2004 and is due to serve until 31 October 2009. ...

Rehn's appointment to the enlargement post was seen as a slight disappointment for Finland, who had hoped for their nominee to be given a portfolio relating to economic issues. Enlargement was a central issue for the EU in the run-up to the landmark accession of ten countries on 1 May 2004, but has since declined in importance, if only slightly. Rehn presided over the accession of Bulgaria and Romania in 2007, as well as continuing negotiations with Croatia and opening them with Turkey, the latter being perhaps the most significant and the most hotly debated future accession.

Rehn favours Turkish membership but has controversially suggested permanent restrictions on the free movement of workers from Turkey, "in case serious disturbances occur in the labour market within the EU as a result of Turkey’s accession,"¹ an attitude seen by some as running counter to the whole purpose and spirit of the EU. He has stressed the importance of greater respect for human rights and civil liberties as preconditions for Turkey's entry, while acknowledging the advances it had already made in this respect. Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ... Civil liberties is the name given to freedoms that protect the individual from government. ...

Selection hearing

Questioned by the European Parliament, Rehn offered his thoughts on the prospects for accession of each of the countries highest on the enlargement agenda. Established 1952, as the Common Assembly President Hans-Gert Pöttering (EPP) Since 16 January 2007 Vice-Presidents 14 Political parties 8 Committees 22 Last election June 2004 (785 MEPs) Meeting place Brussels and Strasbourg Secretariat Luxembourg and Brussels Website europarl. ...

He praised Turkey for the human rights advances it had made but said he would advocate stronger monitoring if the decision was taken to open accession talks by the European Council when it considered the question in December. The European Council, informally called the European summit, is a meeting of the heads of state or government of the European Union, and the President of the European Commission. ...

Asked about free movement of Turkish labour after the country's accession, Rehn expressed the view that there should be, "considerable transitional periods as well as a permanent safeguard clause." He was cautious on the question of the inevitability of Turkish membership, stating that he did not, "believe in historic determinism," but that if negotiations were begun, "underpinned by the commitment that [Turkey] will be able to join [the EU] once it fulfils all conditions, it will join as soon as it does meet the conditions."

He insisted that Bulgaria and Romania would be judged on their merits and that he would not hesitate to delay accession by a year if the EU's requirements were not met on time. He considered the establishment of a pre-accession strategy for the Western Balkans one of his prime tasks. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

References

1. Speech in Istanbul on the subject of Turkish accession (full text), 20 October 2004

Istanbul (Turkish: , Greek: , historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see other names) is Turkeys most populous city, and its cultural and financial center. ...

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Olli Rehn

• Official website
• Interview with Olli Rehn, 26 February 2003, part of the Conversations with History series from the Institute of International Studies, UC Berkeley