- Go to main content [shortcut key S], by skipping site tools, language selector, navigation path and navigation menu
- Go to navigation menu, by skipping site tools, language selector and navigation path
- Go to navigation path, by skipping site tools and language selector
- Go to language selector, by skipping site tools
- Go to site tools
Photo gallery
Business/NGO meetings
Exchange with members of the European NGO confederation for relief and development (26/03/2009)President Barroso responded to an appeal from the directors of around 100 of the largest European NGOs working in development – the members of CONCORD (the European NGO confederation for relief and development). The goal is to put pressure on the Member States to make sure that the next G20 summit would result in tangible results for developing countries, which have been hit head on by both the financial crisis and environmental problems. He told the NGO directors: “There will not be economic recovery without the developing countries. Our promise of several years ago to help developing countries integrate into the global economy and to share in the benefits of globalisation is a cornerstone of the Commission’s external relations policy. And this promise takes on greater importance today than ever before.” |
Speech at the BELA Foundation (19/02/2009)José Manuel Barroso, President of the EC, made a speech at the BELA Foundation. This foundation organises interactive conferences and debates on key issues that are related to the EU, with the aim of developing a network of young executives who are committed to the integration process. |
Signature of the 'Paddle for life' project to combat climate change (03/02/2009)José Manuel Barroso signed the 'Paddle for life' project established by David W. Train, former Olympic canoeing coach and founder-President of the Fladbury Paddle Club, accompanied by Elizabeth Lynne, Member of the EP. The aim of this project is to encourage young people to participate in water sports by making their own wooden paddles while reducing carbon emissions by replanting double the amount of trees used. |
Participation in a workshop on social innovation (20/01/2009)Group photo with President Barroso following a meeting with experts in social innovation organised in Brussels by the Bureau of European Policy Advisors (BEPA). The expression 'social innovation' means the planning and implementation of creative responses to social needs. Social innovation covers a wide range of fields from new models for childcare to social networks based on web-based technology, and from healthcare at home to new ways of encouraging people to use sustainable means of transport. |
BusinessEurope Conference (05/12/2008)José Manuel Barroso, President of the EC, Ernest-Antoine Seillière, President of BusinessEurope, and Laurence Parisot, President of MEDEF (Movement of French Enterprises), participated in the conference BusinessEurope which was held in Paris. BusinessEurope, in partnership with the MEDEF, organised a special 50th anniversary event on the occasion of its Council of Presidents. |
Equality between men and women - a key element of the Lisbon strategy (12/03/2008)President Barroso has lunched with members of the European Parliament's committee on women's rights and gender equality in Strasbourg as part of International Women's Day. Gender equality is a value common to all EU Member States and is one of the strategic objectives that the committee set itself at the outset of its mandate. Pay gaps separating men and women are still too wide, at around 15%, in a Union of 27, with noticeable differences among the member states themselves. |
Counterfeiting and its true cost (10/03/2008)President Barroso addressed an international anti-counterfeiting summit in Brussels. He said that, in addition to tough enforcement measures and further improving cooperation with third countries, Europe needed to "educate consumers about the true cost of counterfeiting: damage to our economy; organised crime; child labour and appalling work conditions; the risk to consumer health and safety." EU customs seized over 128 million counterfeit and pirated items in 2006, 70% more than in 2005. |
Visit by a delegation from the European Humanist Federation, to the EC (05/07/2007)During a meeting with President of the European Humanist Federation David Pollock, President Barroso explained that the new treaty will introduce a number of positive developments for Europeans. These include the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the "citizens' initiative' which gives one million people the opportunity to ask the Commission to present an intitiative on any subject falling within the EU's competence. |
Visit by John Monks, Secretary General of the European Trade Union Confederation (20/06/2007)"The Commission remains committed to the binding nature of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, as set out in the Constitutional Treaty" said José Manuel Barroso this morning. A European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) delegation had requested a meeting with him in the margins of a demonstration in Brussels to defend the inclusion of the Charter of Fundamental rights in the treaty-amending process. |
Stepping up the fight against HIV/Aids (31/05/2007)President Barroso has today pledged €100 million for the Global Fund for 2007, and proposed a further €300 million covering the following three years, in accordance with budget procedures. This would bring the total EC contribution to the Global Fund to €400 million over a period of 4 years. In a meeting today with key partners of the Commission in the fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, President Barroso underlined the EU's commitment to the global fight against the three pandemics, which forms part of the EU's overall commitment to the poorest and most vulnerable, in terms of aid, trade and political support. |
Visit of Bono, Musician and representative for the "Make Poverty History" campaign (15/05/2007)In the run-up to June's G8 Summit in the German town of Heiligendamm, Commission President Barroso met U2 lead singer Bono to urge both EU member countries and G8 participants to meet the targets they have made for global development aid. President Barroso explained that the EU has met the promises it made in 2002, and can and must respect the promises of 2005. In 2006 aid from Europe reached 0.42% of gross national income, exceeding the target of 0.39% set for the year. This amounted to some €48bn, nearly €100 per citizen per year, compared with €53 and €69 from the United States and Japan respectively. "Europe must continue to show inspiration and leadership in the fight to end poverty; that is the message I will take to the G8" said President Barroso. |
Visit by a delegation from the NGO "BirdLife", to the EC (12/02/2007)Commission President Barroso met with representatives from BirdLife International which has just published a report entitled “Wellbeing Through Wildlife in the EU”. The foreword was written by Mr Barroso. He welcomed the new publication, saying that it was important in raising awareness of the vital links between biodiversity and the quality of life. |
Teresa Presas at the EC (29/01/2007)In view of the important package designed to reduce energy prices, President Barroso met Teresa Presas, General Director of the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI). During talks, Mr Barroso commented, "I hope your industries will actively support our proposals. As users of a renewable and recyclable raw material, your sector is very well placed to achieve the goal of achieving sustainable competitiveness." |
Nicolas Hulot and President Barroso meet at the Commission’s offices in Paris to talk about progress in Europe and the environment (21/11/2006)President Barroso praised Mr Hulot's active role in the battle against global warming. The TV presenter and activist said Europe was ideally placed – geopolitically speaking - to deal with the greatest challenge of the 21st century. President Barroso called for a reconciliation of the two schools of thought - modern ecology and modern economy - in order to safeguard Europe’s future and protect humanity, while continuing to cut greenhouse gas emissions. |
President's meeting with Bill Gates on development issues (09/11/2006)President Barroso received Bill Gates in his capacity as President of the Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation to discuss development issues. Bill Gates welcomed the EC's support for the Global Fund and hoped it could continue. He thanked Mr Barroso for speaking out on development issues and Africa, for example in the G8 where Europe was showing leadership. President Barroso reiterated that Africa was a flagship for him, for Commissioner Michel and indeed for the Commission as a whole. |
Visit by Madeleine Albright to the European Commission (18/10/2006)The Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright came to the EC as Chairman of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs. She also met with Commissioners Viviane Reding, Louis Michel and Margot Wallström. |
President Barroso received Jeremy Rifkin, author of the international bestseller "The European Dream" (04/10/2006)The exchange between the President and Mr Rifkin, Chairman of the Foundation for Economic Trends, largely focused on the energy challenges facing the EU in the 21st century. The Barroso Commission has put secure, affordable and sustainable energy for Europe at the heart of its priorities. Mr. Rifkin presented his ideas on the hydrogen economy and discussed with President Barroso the potential of energy to be used for mobilising Europeans, as a new EU project. President Barroso said: "Energy makes the case for a strong Europe in a globalised world." |
Mr Barroso receives a group of European Scouts (13/07/2006)The meeting with European scout representatives came just a few days after the Commission adopted a communication for an EU strategy aimed at strengthening the rights of the child. It includes setting up a single six-digit telephone number (beginning with 116) within the EU for child helplines. President Barroso has put fundamental rights at the centre of all his actions. |
President Barroso receives the Solar Solidarité stagiaires (06/07/2006)President Barroso met with a group of stagiaires who have been involved in a project called Solar Solidarité which aims to raise awareness of the potential of renewable sources of energy, notably the sun, for the supply of energy, at the same preserving the environment. During the previous five months, they had organised for the production and sale of the hugely popular "dancing sunflowers", which are powered directly by the sun. In doing so, they raised funds for the solar power supply of schools in Burkina Faso. This will be carried out by the NGO Electriciens sans Frontières (ESF). |
Visit to the EC by Laurence Parisot, President of the MEDEF (Movement of French enterprises) (07/03/2006)At his meeting with MEDEF President Laurence Parisot, President Barroso said he was pleased that Europe had been involved in MEDEF debates. He also addressed France’s relationship with globalisation; he explained that there was a contradiction between perception and reality. France is a leading player in globalisation. "Its international trade in goods and services represents 26% of its GDP, a much greater share than that of the USA - 13%." |
Talks with the representative of European automobile manufacturers (07/02/2006)As part of his meetings with different players from the European business world, José Manuel Barroso held discussions at the European Commission with Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat and President of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association. |
President Barroso receives High Representative of the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (30/09/2005)Pascoal Mocumbi (High Representative of the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) on the right, and Mr Barroso. |
Visit to the EC by Axelle Red, Unicef Goodwill Ambassador (16/06/2005)As part of the Global Call to Action against Poverty campaign, Belgian singer-composer Axelle Red went to the EC as a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador to meet José Manuel Barroso and Louis Michel, Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid. |
Mr Barroso receiving the European footprint report from Tony Long, Director of WWF's European Policy Office (13/06/2005)The WWF report measures the EU Ecological Footprint, which compares people's use of nature with nature's ability to regenerate. With 7 per cent of the world population, the EU uses 17 per cent of the world’s resources. |
Visit to the EC by Bono, musician and representative of the Make Poverty History campaign (09/06/2005)Bono, musician, lead singer of U2 and representative of the Make Poverty History campaign, meets José Manuel Barroso. The aim was to appeal to EU leaders at the Brussels summit held the following week to put their full political weight behind ambitious new development aid targets that would put the EU on track to doubling development aid within a decade (by 2015). |