Franco Frattini

Franco Frattini
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 8 May 2008 – 16 November 2011
Prime Minister	Silvio Berlusconi
Preceded by	Massimo D'Alema
Succeeded by	Giulio Terzi Sant'Agata
In office 14 November 2002 – 18 November 2004
Prime Minister	Silvio Berlusconi
Preceded by	Silvio Berlusconi (Acting)
Succeeded by	Gianfranco Fini
European Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security
In office 22 November 2004 – 8 May 2008
President	José Manuel Barroso
Preceded by	António Vitorino
Succeeded by	Jacques Barrot
Personal details
Born	14 March 1957 (1957-03-14) Rome, Italy
Political party	People of Freedom (2009–present)
Other political affiliations	Socialist Party (Before 1996) Forza Italia (2001–2009)

Franco Frattini (born 14 March 1957 in Rome) is an Italian politician, who served as Italy's Foreign minister in the Berlusconi Cabinet until 16 November 2011. Before 8 May 2008 he served as European Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security and one of five vice-presidents of the 27-member Barroso Commission.

Career

Initially a member of the Italian Socialist Party, Frattini was first elected MP within Silvio Berlusconi's party Forza Italia in 1996, and has been a member of Silvio Berlusconi's government since 2001, and Foreign minister of Italy since 14 November 2002; he is also a member of the centre-right party People of Freedom.

On 4 November 2004, he was nominated to take up the Justice and security portfolio in the Commission, in place of the controversial Rocco Buttiglione (who outed Frattini as a Freemason). His resignation from the Italian government took effect on 18 November. Deputy Prime Minister Gianfranco Fini succeeded him as Foreign Minister. Frattini has outlined his key priorities as: fundamental Rights and citizenship; the fight against terrorism and organised crime; immigration and asylum, visa and border issues; closer co-operation between police, judicial and customs authorities; ensuring all EU citizens have the same access to justice; and the Rights of the Child.

Frattini is outspoken in his opposition to violence and sexual content in videogames. In 2007 he called for a ban on the horror title Rule of Rose, and criticised the EU-endorsed PEGI system for granting the game a 16-years-or-over age rating. Reports on Gamespot showed he was seeking a Europe-wide ban on violent videogames. On 6 February 2007 – Safer Internet Day 2007 – Frattini recalled the need to protect children's rights, saying: "I am deeply concerned at this potential harm by the internet to children. This could involve people preying on them or children accessing racist, cruel or violent material."

In February 2006 during the Danish cartoons row he defended the media's freedom of speech, though did express disagreement with subject of the cartoons. November saw the commissioner's concern for child welfare extended to video games, calling for tougher controls; anything relating to stricter self-regulation to an outright ban During that year, the staff of his DG grew to 465, accounting for 16% of the Commission's workload (75% more than any other area).

Frattini giving a speech at the European Youth Parliament in March 2007

Interviewed by Reuters he declared his intention to promote online communications monitoring and censorship of "dangerous words" like "bomb, kill, genocide or terrorism" and was expected make a proposal to member states in November 2007.

At the start of 2007, Frattini backed an Italian push for EU support of a worldwide ban on the death penalty. The Commissioner has been pushing for greater cooperation along Europe's borders, in March proposing backing Frontex with what Frattini describes as an "embryo of what the European coastguard" would be. A number of boats and aircraft were promised to Frontex, by July 2007 few have yet arrived. Despite planning to introduce permanent patrols, Frattini was criticised for contributing to the migration situation in Malta; due to the island's position, Malta receives a lot of illegal immigrants attempting to cross to Europe. Although they do not intend to live in Malta, migrants entering the EU need to be processed in the country they enter and Malta does not have the facilities to cope with such large numbers. In April he has called for more powers to be given to Eurojust, with the power to initiate prosecutions with a European Public Prosecutor. He relaxed visas on the western Balkan countries signifying closer cooperation with the region, proposed an EU "blue card", based on the US "green card" scheme and has begun a push for common asylum policies. Following the 2007 Glasgow International Airport attack he criticised the handling of Islam by member-states and called for a "European Islam".

During his time as EU Commissioner Frattini argued for a more liberal EU migration policy. Instead of closing the borders he suggested to allow for immigration of up to 20 million migrants from Asia and Africa. Immigrants should not be seen as threats but as an enrichment to the European Union.

He received the America Award of the Italy-USA Foundation in 2009.

External links

• Official website at the European Commission
• BBC profile

Political offices
Preceded by Giuliano Urbani	Minister of Civil Service and Regional Affairs 1995–1996	Succeeded by Franco Bassanini
Preceded by Piero Barucci	Minister of Public Function 2001–2002	Succeeded by Mario Baccini
Preceded by Silvio Berlusconi Acting	Minister of Foreign Affairs 2002–2004	Succeeded by Gianfranco Fini
Preceded by Mario Monti Romano Prodi	Italian European Commissioner 2004–2008	Succeeded by Antonio Tajani
Preceded by António Vitorino	European Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security 2004–2008	Succeeded by Jacques Barrot
Preceded by Massimo D'Alema	Minister of Foreign Affairs 2008–2011	Succeeded by Giulio Terzi Sant'Agata