92003E1447

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1447/03

by Mogens Camre (UEN) to the Commission

(28 April 2003)

Subject: Mrs Beate Winkler's former employment

Since 1998, Mrs Beate Winkler has been director of the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC).

This agency has a great deal of influence on the immigration debate in the EU Member States, partly as a result of a number of outspoken comments by its director. On several occasions she has stated that the Centre is considering investigating statements made by the Danish People's Party, (Dansk Folkeparti).

The Danish People's Party is a socially liberal party which also gives parliamentary support to Denmark's coalition government. Nevertheless the director of the EUMC has on several occasions described the party as belonging to the extreme right-wing.

If the EUCM is to continue its work, it is important that its director should be a person who is capable of carrying out objective research and not merely of expounding particular political points of view.

Could the Commission please state what training, from what training institution, Mrs Beate Winkler has received, and what posts she has occupied since completing her training. I should like to know exactly on what bodies, in what capacities, she has worked. I should also like to the Commission to clarify whether Mrs Winkler was politically active during the period before her appointment by the EU.

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(3 June 2003)

Dr Beate Winkler was appointed Director of the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia in 1998, and re-appointed for a second term in 2002, by the Management Board of the Centre, from a short-list put forward by the Commission. Her background and experience was of course a key element which the board took into account in its deliberations. The curriculum vitae of the Director is publicly available on the website of the Centre at the following address: http://www.eumc.eu.int/eumc/index.php?fuseaction=content.dsp_cat_content&catid=3e4a5843e8631

Dr Winkler's academic qualifications, include a doctorate in law from the University of Cologne. Her professional background has been largely in the public sector, including at the office of the Federal Government's Commissioner for Foreigners' Affairs in Germany. Prior to taking up her appointment at the Monitoring Centre, Dr Winkler was the managing director of the Federation of German Architects. Dr Winkler's curriculum vitae does not give details of her political affiliations. The Management Board did not raise this issue during their discussions on her appointment.