Political Leaders of the European Union

Leaders of the European Union

Presidents of the Commission

Walter Hallstein        31 Jan 1958 - 30 Jun 1967 (+1982) 	Germany
Jean Rey                 1 Jul 1967 -  1 Jul 1970 (+1983) 	Belgium
Franco Maria Malfatti    2 Jul 1970 - 22 Mar 1972 (+1991) 	Italy
Sicco Mansholt          22 Mar 1972 -  5 Jan 1973 (+1995) 	Netherlands
François-Xavier Ortoli   9 Jan 1973 -  5 Jan 1977         	France
Roy Harris Jenkins      11 Jan 1977 -  5 Jan 1981 (+2003) 	United Kingdom
Gaston Thorn            12 Jan 1981 -  5 Jan 1985         	Luxembourg
Jacques Delors          15 Jan 1985 -  5 Jan 1995         	France
Jacques Santer          24 Jan 1995 - 14 Jul 1999         	Luxembourg (caretaker since 16 Mar 1999)
Manuel Marín González   14 Jul 1999 - 15 Sep 1999         	Spain (acting) 
Romano Prodi            15 Sep 1999 - 23 Nov 2004               Italy
Jose Durao Barroso      23 Nov 2004 - 		                Portugal

From 1973 the Commission's term of office begins on 6 Jan, but it is sworn in (and thus becomes operative) by the European Court of Justice after confirmation by the European Parliament.

Presidents of the Parliament

Robert Schuman          19 Mar 1958 - 28 Mar 1960 (+1963) 	France
Hans Furler             28 Mar 1960 - 27 Mar 1962 (+1975) 	Germany
Gaetano Martino         27 Mar 1962 - 21 Mar 1964 (+1967) 	Italy
Jean-Pierre Duvieusart  21 Mar 1964 - 24 Sep 1965 (+1977) 	Belgium
Victor Leemans          24 Sep 1965 -  7 Mar 1966 (+1971) 	Belgium
Alain Poher              7 Mar 1966 - 11 Mar 1969 (+1996) 	France
Mario Scelba            11 Mar 1969 -  9 Mar 1971 (+1991) 	Italy
Walter Behrendt          9 Mar 1971 - 13 Mar 1973 (+1997) 	Germany
Cornelis Berkhouwer     13 Mar 1973 - 11 Mar 1975 (+1992)	Netherlands
Georges Spénale         11 Mar 1975 -  8 Mar 1977 (+1983)	France
Emilio Colombo           8 Mar 1977 - 17 Jul 1979     		Italy
Simone Veil             17 Jul 1979 - 19 Jan 1982   		France
Piet Dankert            19 Jan 1982 - 24 Jul 1984 (+2003)	Netherlands
Pierre Pflimlin         24 Jul 1984 - 20 Jan 1987 (+2000) 	France
Henry Plumb             20 Jan 1987 - 25 Jul 1989        	United Kingdom
Enrique Barón Crespo    25 Jul 1989 - 14 Jan 1992        	Spain
Egon Klepsch            14 Jan 1992 - 19 Jul 1994        	Germany
Klaus Hänsch            19 Jul 1994 - 14 Jan 1997        	Germany
José María Gil-Robles   14 Jan 1997 - 20 Jul 1999        	Spain
Nicole Fontaine         20 Jul 1999 - 15 Jan 2002         	France
Patrick (Pat) Cox       15 Jan 2002 - 20 Jul 2004        	Ireland 
Josep Borrell Fontelles 20 Jul 2004 - 16 Jan 2007         	Spain
Hans-Gert Pöttering     16 Jan 2007 -                     	Germany

High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy

Javier Solana Madariaga 18 Oct 1999 -                    	Spain

Presidents of the European Monetary Institute (EMI, 1994-1998)

Alexandre Lamfalussy     1 Jan 1994 - 30 Jun 1997         	Belgium 
Wim Duisenberg           1 Jul 1997 - 31 May 1998         	Netherlands

Presidents of the European Central Bank (ECB)

Wim Duisenberg           1 Jun 1998 - 31 Oct 2003         	Netherlands
Jean-Claude Trichet      1 Nov 2003 -                     	France

Presidents of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC, 1952-1967)

Jean Monnet             10 Aug 1952 -  1 Jun 1955 (+1979) 	France
René Mayer               1 Jun 1955 -  7 Jan 1958 (+1972)	France
Paul Finet               7 Jan 1958 - 11 Sep 1959 (+1965)  	Belgium
Piero Malvestiti        11 Sep 1959 -  5 Nov 1963 (+1964)  	Italy
Dino Del Bo              5 Nov 1963 - 30 Jun 1967         	Italy

Presidents of the Commission of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom, 1958-1967)

Louis Armand         7 Jan 1958 -  2 Feb 1959 (+1971)	   France
Étienne Hirsch       2 Feb 1959 - 10 Jan 1962 (+1994)      France
Pierre Chatenet      10 Jan 1962 - 30 Jun 1967 (+1997      France