Hannes Swoboda

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Hannes Swoboda, MEP

Hannes Swoboda (born 10 November 1946, Bad Deutsch Altenburg) is an MEP from the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ).

Affiliations

• Vice-Chairman, Delegation for relations with the countries of south-east Europe
• Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs
• Member, Delegation to the EU-Croatia Joint Parliamentary Committee
• Member, Delegation to the EU-Armenia, EU-Azerbaijan and EU-Georgia Parliamentary Cooperation Committees
• Member, Delegation for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council
• Substitute, Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
• Substitute, Subcommittee on Security and Defence
• Substitute, Delegation to the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly

Record and Controversies

Declaration of Financial Interests

• Nothing to declare.

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 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.

Election Campaign 2009

Hannes Swoboda has pledged to three out of four issues presented by the Election Campaign:

• to provide leadership in lobbying transparency and ethics,
• to provide leadership in reforming financial architecture,
• to promote corporate accountability.

Hannes Swoboda has not yet pledged to promote a full-scale rethink of the EU trade policy.

Ask Hannes Swoboda to pledge now!

Personal Information

Curriculum Vitae

• Studied law and economics (1964-1972).
• Worked in the Vienna Chamber of Labour (1972-1986); employed in the economics department (finance and environmental policy). Director of the newly-founded Department for municipal, economic, health and housing policy (1976-1986).
• Chairman of the SPÖ Committee on Local Government (1995).
• SPÖ Federal Chairman responsible for education; member of the SPÖ Federal Executive; Member of the Vienna SPÖ Executive; Chairman of the Meidling district SPÖ (since 1979).
• Member of the Vienna Assembly and Municipal Council (1983-1986).
• Socialist Group coordinator in the Vienna Assembly and Municipal Council (1986-1988).
• Municipal councillor responsible for urban development, planning and staff (1988).
• Municipal councillor responsible for urban development, planning and transport (1988).
• Municipal councillor responsible for urban development, planning and external relations of the city of Vienna (1988).
• Member of the European Parliament since 1996.
• Vice-Chairman, PSE Group, European Parliament.
• PSE Group parliamentary manager.
• Vice-President, Interparliamentary delegation for relations with South-East Europe (1997-2004).

Contact

Address:

Parlement européen

Bât. Altiero Spinelli

15G342

60, rue Wiertz / Wiertzstraat 60

B-1047 Bruxelles/Brussel

Phone:

+32 (0)2 28 45716

Fax

+32 (0)2 28 49716

Email:

hannes.swoboda@spoe.at

hannes.swoboda@europarl.europa.eu

Website:

http://www.hannes-swoboda.at

Resources

• European Parliament, Erklärung der finanziellen Interessen der Mitglieder: Hannes Swoboda, 03 December 2008, accessed 27 April 2009.
• European Parliament, MEP Directory: Hannes Swoboda, accessed 27 April 2009.
• Friends of the Earth, EU Vote Watch, accessed 27 April 2009.