On 30 May 2023, Frans Timmermans, First Vice-President of the European Commission, will give a lecture organised by the VUB Brussels School of Governance on the topic of 'The external dimension of the “Green Deal”: navigating a changing world'. This lecture is part of the SUSTAEN lecture series, a Jean Monnet Module focusing on the European narrative about sustainability and trade, managed by Prof. Sven Van Kerckhoven.
Frans Timmermans began his career with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1987. After taking part in the junior diplomat training programme, he worked at the European Integration Department of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and at the Embassy of the Netherlands in Moscow. He later worked for Hans van den Broek, European Commissioner for External Relations, and Max van der Stoel, High Commissioner on National Minorities for the OSCE.
In 1998, Frans Timmermans was elected as a member of the House of Representatives for the Dutch Labour Party (PvdA), where he dealt principally with foreign affairs. In the fourth Balkenende government, from February 2007 to February 2010, Mr Timmermans was Minister for European Affairs. In 2010, Mr Timmermans returned to Parliament as the Labour Party's spokesperson on foreign policy.
On 5 November 2012, Mr Timmermans became Minister of Foreign Affairs in the second Rutte government. Two years later, on 1 November 2014, he became First Vice-President of the European Commission, responsible for better regulation, interinstitutional relations, sustainable development, the rule of law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights. Since 1 December 2019, he is the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, responsible for the Green Deal.
Please click here if you'd like to attend in person, a recording of the event will be available at a later stage.
With the support of
