Rolf Linkohr

Rolf Linkohr is a former German MEP.

Background

Linkohr pent twenty-five years as a German MEP in the Group of the Party of European Socialists.<refEuropean Parliament, Rolf Linkohr Profile</ref>

President of the European Energy Forum from 1989 to 2004, now Honorary President.

A Conflict of Interest

Linkohr was a special advisor to the European Energy Commissioner Andris Peibalgs, for two years at the same time as directing a pro-nuclear, commercial lobbying consultancy, the Centre for European Energy Strategy.

In January 2007, the research organisation Corporate Europe Observatory wrote to the Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs complaining that "Mr Rolf Linkohr, who presents himself as your special adviser on energy issues, is at the same time directing CERES, a Brussels-based consultancy that is specialised in lobbying for large energy companies. If indeed Mr Linkohr advises you on energy issues – a policy area where the clients of CERES have a clear and direct interest – this would constitute a serious conflict of interests".

Subsequent to the complaint, he was dismissed by Kallas, after failing to reply within a set deadline about whether there was a conflict of interest over his position.

Linkohr Responds

Linkohr later claimed that there was no "conflict of interest" over his position and that he had "made it clear from the very beginning that I was also advising companies. The consultancy contract I signed with the Commission did explicitly allow these activities."

He also maintained that: "I am not a lobbyist, or a nuclear lobbyist. I have no ability for that. I have however an opinion. And I stand by it. With or without a consultancy contract."