Graham Watson

Graham Watson, MEP

Graham Watson (born 23 March 1956, Rothesay, Scotland) is a British MEP for South West from Liberal Democrats.

Affiliations

• Chairman, Delegation for relations with India
• Member, Conference of Delegation Chairs
• Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs
• Member, Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China
• Substitute, Committee on Fisheries
• Substitute, Delegation for relations with the countries of Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

Former Affiliations

• Member, Conference of Presidents
• Member, Delegation for relations with the Korean Peninsula
• Substitute, Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China

Record and Controversies

Declaration of Financial Interests

• I am a beneficiary of Parliament's additional voluntary pension scheme, having been a member of this scheme from 1994 until its closure in 2009.

Former Declaration of Financial Interests

Professional Activities:

• Director, Bio-Bulgaria Development Company (not currently trading)
• Member of the Board, The Istanbul Centre in Brussels (unpaid)

Paid Functions or Activities:

• Occasional receipts from journalism, not in excess of GBP 750 per annum

Financial Support Received in Connection with Political Activities:

Financial:

• GBP 2241 - granted by Government of Taiwan, to assist in the 2008 launch of Chinese language teaching scheme in my constituency

Record of Parliamentary Votes

• Voted in favour of the directive on "establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy" (A5-0027/2000). The directive covers all water management aspects in order to achieve a 'good status' of all waters by 2015.
• 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 against the Commission White Paper on "Strategy for a future Chemicals Policy" (A5-0356/2001). The amendment helps avoid the necessary precautionary approach towards some chemical substances that are not proven to be completely safe.
• 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 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

• BA (Hons.) Modern Languages (1979).
• Interpreter (1979-1980).
• Administrator, Paisley College (1980-1983).
• Head of the private office of the Rt Hon. David Steel MP, Leader of the Liberal Party (1983-1987).
• Banker, HSBC Holdings PLC (1988-1994).
• Vice-President (1977-1979) and General Secretary (1979-1981), International Federation of Liberal and Radical Youth.
• Council member, Party of European Liberals and Democrats (1983-1993).
• Member of the European Parliament (since 1994).
• Whip, ELDR Group (1994-1996).
• Leader, UK Liberal Democrats (1999-2002).
• Chairman, Committee on Justice and Home Affairs (1999-2002).
• Leader, ELDR Group (2002-2004).
• Editor, 'The Parliament Magazine (since 1999).

Contact

Address:

Parlement européen

Bât. Altiero Spinelli

09G205

60, rue Wiertz / Wiertzstraat 60

B-1047 Bruxelles/Brussel

Phone:

+32 (0)2 28 45626

Fax:

+32 (0)2 28 49626

Email:

graham.watson AT europarl.europa.eu

Website:

http://www.grahamwatsonmep.org

This article is part of the MEPedia project of Spinwatch.

Resources

• European Parliament, Declaration of Members' Financial Interests: Graham Watson, 08 December 2008, accessed 10 February 2009.
• European Parliament, Declaration of Members' Financial Interests: Graham Watson, 02 September 2009, accessed 04 November 2009.
• European Parliament, MEP Directory: Graham Watson, accessed 10 February 2009.
• Friends of the Earth, EU Vote Watch, accessed 10 February 2009.