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Curriculum Vitae

 Education

 University of Vienna

Law Faculty, doctorate in law, 1964

Post-graduate studies in social and labour law

 Professional career
 

 Union of Private Employees, Law Department, 1964 

Austrian Federation of Workers and Employees:

Head of Social Affairs Department, 1971

Head of Political Office, 1976 

Vienna Health Insurance Fund (3 800 employees):

Head of Department for Fees, Insurance and Audit, 1979

Deputy CEO, 1984 - 1999  

Secretary General of the Council of Europe September 1999 – August 2004.

From September 2004:

Consultant on International Relations and European Affairs, Klosterneuburg (near Vienna)

Political career

Member of the Austrian Parliament (Nationalrat) from 1971 to 1999, Vice-Chairman of the parliamentary group of the Austrian People's Party from 1986 to 1994, Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Social Affairs from 1978 to 1989, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Health from 1989 to 1994, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Justice in 1995, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Housing and Construction from 1995 to 1999.

Chairman of the Inter-Parliamentary Union friendship group Austria-Israel of the Austrian Parliament from 1976 to 1999, Member of the National Board of the Austria-Israel Association from 1973 to 1999, Vice-President from 1977 to 1981, Acting President (after the assassination of the former President, Heinz Nittel) from 1981 to 1982 and President from 1982 to August 1999.

Council of Europe: Member of the Austrian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly since 1991. Chairman of the Group of the European People's Party-Christian Democrats since 1996, Member of the Bureau, President of the Sub-Committee on International Economic Relations, Vice-President of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Rapporteur on various issues including monitoring of member states (Romania, Slovakia, Turkey), Vice-President of the Assembly in 1996, elected Secretary General June 1999 (term of office September 1999 to August 2004).

2004 - 2009 Board Member of the Monaco World Summit/Crans Montana Forum, Monte Carlo, From 2004 Secretary General Maison de la Méditerranée. Naples

From 2005 Chairman of the International Coordination Committee – World Public Forum “Dialogue of
         Civilizations” 

From 2006 : President of the “European Democracy Forum”, Strasbourg,  

Lectures/speeches

Lectures on various issues - social, health, housing, general political affairs - in Austria and abroad: France, Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland, UK, USA (before taking office as Secretary General of the Council of Europe):

As Secretary General of the Council of Europe: speeches at the General Assembly of the United Nations, Summit meetings of OSCE, CEI and OIC, various Ministerial Conferences of the Council of Europe and the OSCE, in several parliaments, lectures at Universities and other academic institutions in Europe, China, Japan, Mexico and USA and at various conferences like European Forum Alpbach Crans Montana Forum and Monaco World Summit.

Publications

Christian Unions in Austria, Europa-Verlag Vienna, 1975

The Social Consequences of Inflation, Verlag Orac Vienna, 1988

A Union Makes History: 100 Years of the Christian Social Workers’ Union, Holzhausen Vienna, 1994.

Numerous articles on issues concerning social, health, housing and general political affairs.

Der Traum Europa, Springer Verlag 2003; The European Dream, Continuumpress London-New York 2004 (also published in Italian, Serbian and Russian).

Decorations

Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash for services to the Republic of Austria; Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver with Star for services to the Republic of Austria; Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold for services to the Republic of Austria; Grand Medal in Silver for Meritorious Service to the Province of Vienna; Leopold Kunschak Special Prize (1975) Austria; Grand Cross of the Star of Romania (2001); Peter the Great International Prize (2002) Russian Federation; “The Person of the Year” award (2002, Ukraine); 3rd Class Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas; French Legion of Honour (2003); Grand Cross of the Equestrian Order of St. Agatha (San Marino 2003); European “Pro Humanitate Award” – European Foundation for Culture, Germany; Medal of the Institute of European Integration, Moscow; Order of the Aztec Eagle, Mexico, Grande Ufficiale dell’Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana (2004).

Memberships

Austrian Scientific Council for Work Relations, Vienna; Sigmund Freud Society, Vienna; Society for Social Policy and Social Reform, Vienna; Dr. Karl-Kummer Institut, Vienna; Christian Social Workers’ Union, Vienna.

Hobbies
 

Books, history, stamps, art

Sports

Cross-country skiing, nordic walking

Working languages

German, English, French,