Maria Berger

Maria Berger

Maria Berger (born 19 August 1956, Perg) was an MEP from the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ), who served during four terms (11.11.1996 - 19.07.1999, 20.07.1999 - 19.07.2004, 20.07.2004 - 10.01.2007, and 11.12.2008 - 13.07.2009).

Affiliations

• Member, Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
• Member, Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly
• Substitute, Committee on Development
• Substitute, Delegation to the EU-Kazakhstan, EU-Kyrgyzstan and EU-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Cooperation Committees, and for relations with Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Mongolia

Record and Controversies

Declaration of Financial Interests

Professional Activities:

• Officer at the Officer of the Federal Chancellor, exempted

Paid Functions or Activities:

• Member of Local Council of the City of Perg
• Landlord of an agricultural establishment

Record of Parliamentary Votes

• Voted against the directive on "national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants" (A5-0063/2000). The amendment allows setting less ambitious national emission ceilings for sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), ammonia (NH3) and volatile organic compounds (VOC), which would result in more damage to human health and the environment.
• Voted in favour of the directive on "waste electrical and electronic equipment" (A5-0100/2002). The amendment sets higher reuse and recycling rates for IT and telecommunication equipment. Rejected due to lack of absolute majority.
• Voted in favour of the report on "Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network" (A5-0135/2002). The Trans-European Network of Transport (TEN-T) is a network of so-called 'transport corridors' through Europe. This amendment calls for a full Strategic Environmental Assessment of these transport corridors and calls on the Commission to improve methods for analysing the environmental and economic impact of the TEN-T.
• Voted in favour of the regulation concerning "traceability and labelling of genetically modified organisms and traceability of food and feed products produced from genetically modified organisms" (A5-0229/2002). The amendment allows customers the right to choose GM free food.
• Voted in favour of the report towards a "thematic strategy on the sustainable use of pesticides" (A5-0061/2003). The amendment proposes to ban or severely restrict use of pesticides in areas around sources of drinking water and nature protected zones.
• Voted in favour of the directive on "environmental liability with regard to the prevention and remedying of environmental damage" (A5-0145/2003). According to the amendment, polluters have to pay for environmental clean-up, and it supports an EU-wide regime which makes polluters liable for the damage they cause to wildlife, water and land.
• Voted in favour of the directive on restructuring the "Community framework for the taxation of energy products and electricity" (A5-0302/2003). The amendment aims at giving tax benefits to environmentally friendly sources of energy, which would make them cheaper and more competitive to conventional (more polluting) sources of energy. It also gives tax benefits to environmentally friendly uses of energy for transport, for instance trains. Rejected due to lack of absolute majority.
• Voted in favour of the amendment on Bulgaria’s progress towards accession (A5-0105/2004). The report objects to extending the life of the nuclear power stations in Bulgaria.

Personal Information

Curriculum Vitae

• Studied law and economics at Innsbruck University (1975-1979), Doctor of Law.
• University assistant and lecturer at the Institute for Public Law and Politics at Innsbruck University (1979-1984).
• Official and ultimately deputy head of department at the Federal Ministry of Science and Research (1984-1988).
• Official responsible for EU matters in the Federal Chancellor's Office (1988-1989).
• Head of the European Integration Department in the Federal Chancellor's Office (preparations for Austria's accession to the European Union) (1989-1992).
• Director in the EFTA Surveillance Authority in Geneva and Brussels (1993-1994).
• Vice-President of the University of Krems (1995-1996).
• Federal Chair of the Young Generation in the SPÖ (1984-1987).
• Deputy leader of the parliamentary group of SPÖ Members of the Nationalrat, Bundesrat and European Parliament (2004-2007 and since 2008).
• Member of Perg Municipal Council (since 1997).
• Federal Minister of Justice (2007-2008).
• Member of the European Parliament (1996-2007) and Head of Delegation (2004-2007 and since 2008).
• PSE Group coordinator in the Committee on Legal Affairs (2004-2007).
• Honorary Medal of the International Mauthausen Committee, National Order of the Republic of Lithuania, Golden Medal of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria.

Contact

Address:

Parlement européen

Bât. Altiero Spinelli

15G246

60, rue Wiertz / Wiertzstraat 60

B-1047 Bruxelles/Brussel

Phone:

+32 (0)2 28 45397

Fax

+32 (0)2 28 49397

Email:

maria.berger@europarl.europa.eu

maria.berger@europerg.co.at

Website:

This article is part of the MEPedia project of Spinwatch.

Resources

• European Parliament, Erklärung der finanziellen Interessen der Mitglieder: Maria Berger, 05 January 2009, accessed 25 April 2009.
• European Parliament, MEP Directory: Maria Berger, accessed 25 April 2009.
• European Parliament, MEP Directory: Maria Berger, accessed 10 September 2010.
• Friends of the Earth, EU Vote Watch, accessed 25 April 2009.