Helmut Kuhne

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Helmut Kuhne, MEP

Helmut Kuhne (born 06 September 1949, Soest) is an MEP from Social Democratic Party of Germany.

Affiliations

• Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs
• Member, Subcommittee on Security and Defence
• Member, Delegation for relations with the United States

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 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 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

• Graduate in sociology (1973).
• Worked at Lippstadt Protestant Grammar School and in various adult education establishments, latterly as research assistant at the Regional Institute for School and Further Education, North Rhine-Westphalia, in Soest (1974-1994).
• Since October 2000, taught intermittently at the Faculty for Social Sciences, Ruhr University, Bochum.
• Chairman of the Young Socialists, Western Westphalia district (1974-1978).
• Member of the Western Westphalia SPD District Executive (1978-2000).
• Member of Soest District Council (1984-1994).
• Member of the European Parliament (since 1994).
• Member of the WDR Broadcasting Council (1991-1999).

Contact

Address:

Parlement européen

Bât. Altiero Spinelli

12G217

60, rue Wiertz / Wiertzstraat 60

B-1047 Bruxelles/Brussel

Phone:

+32 (0)2 28 45428

Email:

helmut.kuhne@europarl.europa.eu

Website:

http://www.helmut-kuhne.de

Resources

• European Parliament, Erklärung der finanziellen Interessen der Mitglieder: Helmut Kuhne, 04 December 2008, accessed 22 March 2009.
• European Parliament, MEP Directory: Helmut Kuhne, accessed 22 March 2009.
• Friends of the Earth, EU Vote Watch, accessed 22 March 2009.