Narbona to chair PES environment Ministers network 

and joins expanding group of social democratic Ministers and party leaders heading European party political cooperation 

4 September 2007

Spanish Environment Minister Cristina Narbona has been appointed Coordinator of the PES Network of Environment Ministers and Opposition spokespersons – and is the latest member of an expanding group of Ministers, party leaders and senior politicians who lead pre-Council Ministerial meetings and other political initiatives on behalf of the PES.

“Our European political party is slowly but surely climbing the steps onto the main stage of European politics” said PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen. “It is increasingly obvious that, with the European Union taking very important decisions which impact on the everyday lives of our citizens, there is a need for much closer cooperation between our national political parties. I believe the PES is by far the most cohesive mainstream European political party with the strongest shared values.”  

“The appointment of a dynamic politician like Cristina Narbona to run Ministerial Coordination in an area as important as the environment” said Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, “is another important step towards a stronger and more effective Party of European Socialists.” 

The PES Environment Ministerial Network is currently working on a “Smart green growth” policy on the opportunity for a green industrial revolution to combat climate change and stimulate economic growth and new jobs.

Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, Portugal’s Employment and Social Affairs Minister José Vieira da Silva, Greek party leader George Papandreou, former German Finance Minister Hans Eichel and former Finnish Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen are among those leading PES Ministerial meetings or other PES political initiatives.

Ministerial coordinations

Foreign affairs              Coordinator                 Jean Asselborn, Luxembourg

Employment                 Coordinator                 Jose Vieira da Silva, Portugal

& Social affairs

Development               Coordinator                 Heide Marie Wieczorek-Zeul, Germany

Defence                      Coordinator                 André Flahaut, Belgium

ECOFIN                       Coordinator                 to be appointed

High Level Advisory or Working Groups 

Turkey                         Co-chairs                    Paavo Lipponen, Finland

                                                                   George Papandreou, Greece

Lisbon network              Chair                           Hans Eichel, Germany

Future of Europe           Chair                           Ruairi Quinn, Ireland

Balkans                        Chair                           Mircea Geoana, Romania

Diversity network          Chair                           Gary Titley, UK

Eastern Neighbours       Chair                           Peter Schieder, Austria

Middle East                  Chair                          Carin Jamtin, Sweden