Member of the European Parliament
Spokesman on Industry

Giles's Experience

Giles holds a special position within the Industry Committee, as he has been elected Chairman of the Committee from July 2004.

In the last Parliament he served as Co-ordinator for the EPP-ED (European People's Party - European Democrats) group members of the Committee. A Co-ordinator combines the roles of whip, leader and spokesman. As he represented the largest political group in the European Parliament, he exerted considerable influence on the work of the committee.

He was the only Conservative MEP to be co-ordinator on a legislative committee and was twice elected to this position by EPP- ED MEPs from all Member States.

He has been personally responsible for four important Reports within the ITRE Committee since 1999.

The Directive on Units of Measurement extended the period for allowing dual marking in imperial and metric until end 2009. Getting the proposal adopted at first reading, was a legislative first post the 1997 Amsterdam Treaty.

Next was the Green Paper on Security of Supply of Energy in Europe, of great importance for Europe's future energy needs.

Then the Measuring Instruments Directive replaced ten previous directives establishing common standards.

Finally, he was Rapporteur for the Directive on Security of Supply of Energy Electricity and infrastructure investment, adopted at 1st Reading in mid 2005.

Giles is also involved in a number of interest groups covering specific issues on a cross-party basis. He has been elected President of the European Energy Foundation, after serving as Vice-President between 1995 and 2004. (visit the EEF website) and First Vice-President of the Ciel & Espace Intergroup (aerospace) 2001-2004.

About Giles

Giles has been an MEP for Devon and East Plymouth since 1994, becoming MEP for the South West in 1999.

Since 1999, Giles has been a member of the European Parliament's Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy (ITRE) and of the Delegation for Interparliamentary Relations with Australia and New Zealand.

Member of the European Parliament
Spokesman on the Environment

Caroline's Experience

Caroline Jackson headed the Conservative list in the Euro-elections of June 1999 and was re-elected in June 2004. She has been an MEP since 1984 and previously represented the constituency of Wiltshire North and Bath

From 1999 to June 2004 she was chairman of the Parliament's committee on the Environment, Consumer Protection and Public Health. This is one of the largest committees of the Parliament, with 60 members, and one of the main committees involved in negotiating the final form of EU legislation in such key policy areas as GM foods, and measures to prevent global warming.

Between 1984 and 1999 she was Conservative spokesman on the Environment committee of the Parliament and responsible for reports on directives on landfill policy, product safety, food additives, better protection for package tourists, and on the use of live animals in experiments.

She continues as a member of the Parliament's Environment committee and as the Conservative Party Environment Spokesman she is giving a high priority to investigating the reasons for the poor implementation of EU law throughout the Member States and to ways of putting this right.

Publications :
Europe and Animal Welfare, (Cambridge 1988)
A Young Person's Guide to Europe, (1996)
The End of the Throwaway Society?, (1998)

About Caroline

Born in 1946 in Penzance, Cornwall, she was educated in Penzance and at St. Hugh's College and Nuffield College Oxford. She studied Classics and History and holds an Oxford Doctorate in Philosophy with a thesis on 19th century politics. She is a former research Fellow of St. Hugh's College.

Outside politics her principle interests are archaeology, gardening, music, painting and walking the long distance footpaths of England.

Member of the European Parliament
Chairman of the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee

About Neil

Born in 1956, Neil is married with two children. His interests include country life, Brains Trust, debating, music and swimming.

An arable farmer since 1972, he has sat on Somerset County Council and fought Pontypool and Cwmbran in the 1997 General Election.

Neil was first elected MEP for the South West region in 1999. He is Conservative Spokesman on Agriculture and Fisheries. He was Assistant Whip for the Conservatives in the European Parliament from 1999-2001, and Conservative spokesman on Fisheries until 2001. He is a member of the Agriculture Committee, and substitute member of the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy Committee and the ACP-EU Joint Assembly.