Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou

Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (Greek: Ρόδη Κράτσα-Τσαγκαροπούλου) was born and brought up at the island of Zakynthos, Greece. She studied Sociology (specialising in political sociology) at the University of Geneva (Switzerland). Her postgraduate studies followed at the Institute of European Studies of the same University where she also did a research.

She was elected member of the European Parliament in 1999. She was re-elected in 2004 and in 2009. She was elected 1st Vice-President of the European Parliament on 16 January 2007 and re-elected Vice-President on 14 July 2009.

European Parliament

Responsibilities as Member of the European Parliament:

- Member of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

- Member of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality

- Member of the Committee on Regional Development

- Member of the Delegation to the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (PA-UfM)

- President of the PA-UfM Working Group on the Euro-Mediterranean University (EMUNI)

- Member of the Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries (Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria)

- Member of the Delegation to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (EuroLat)

- Member of the Delegation for relations with Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay)

- Member of the Working Group for the Middle East. She is very active in the peace process between Arabs and Israel, the promotion of cooperation between the GCC and the EU for security and development in the Mediterranean as well as in dealing with international crises.

In the framework of her parliamentary legislative work, in her capacity as rapporteur, she prepared resolutions, adopted by the plenary, regarding the MEDA programs, the EU funding of Palestine and the situation of the women in Mediterranean.

She is founding member of various intergroups:

- “Francophonie and cultural diversity”

- “Disability”

- “Family and childhood”

- “Tourism”

- “Islands”

- “Social Economy”

- “Conservation and Sustainable Development”

Responsibilities in the Bureau of the European Parliament as Vice-President (2007-2012):

- Conciliation (negotiation with the Council for the final shaping of european legislation, in the framework of the co-decision procedure)

- Information and Communication Policy

- Euro-Mediterranean cooperation including the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (PA-UfM)

- President of the PA-UfM Working Group on the Euro-Mediterranean University (EMUNI)

- Euro-arab relations

Activity in the Civil Society

National level

- Elected member of the Municipality Council of Athens (1998)

- Founding member and President of the European Centre of Communication and Information (Athens, 1989)

- Founding member of the Greek part of the European Movement

- Member of the Board and the Scientific Committee of the Child and Family Foundation (Athens)

European level

- Founding member of the Women of Europe Award (Brussels 1987)

- President of the International Association for the Promotion of Women of Europe - Women of Europe Award (Brussels 2000)

- Member of the Board of the European Centre of Culture (Geneva)

- Member of the Cultural Council of the Union for the Mediterranean (French Republic - 2009)

International level

- Active in the international and regional meetings of UNESCO issues concerning education, the promotion of women and the cultural heritage

- Active in the framework of the International Organisation of Francophonie

- Regular participant in international meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank and international fora, like the Crans Montana Forum, the Doha Forum, WISE Forum (Qatar Foundation)

Ηοnorary Distinctions (in chronological order)

- “Doctor Honoris Causa” of the Euro-Mediterranean University (EMUNI), Lisbon – 2011

- “Doctor Honoris Causa” of Université Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah of Fes”, Morocco – 2011

- “National Medal of Cedar-rank of Commander” by Lebanese President General Michel Sleiman - 2010

- “MEDays 2010 Award for Education, Culture & Research”, Morocco – 2010

- “Champion” for the protection of the Jordan River by the international NGO ‘Friends of the Earth - Middle East’ - 2010

- Member of the Academy ‘Studium’ of Casale Monferrato, Italy - 2010

- “Honorary Member of the Knightly Order of Vitéz of Hungary” - 2010

- “The highest distinction of the Order of the Dragon of Annam” from Grandmaster of the Order of the Dragon of Annam (Vietnam) - 2010

- “Honorary member of the National Association of the Italian Army Bersaglieri” - 2010

- “Officer of the National Order of the Legion of Honour” by the French President Nicolas Sarkozy - 2009

- “Gold Medal” by the University of the Aegean, Greece – 2009

- “Cross Bearer of the Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher” (proclaimed “A Knight of the Holy Sepulchre” granted with Golden Cross with Crown) by the Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III - 2008

- “Personality of the Year 2008” by Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA)

- “Anna Lindh Euro-Med Award for the Dialogue between Cultures” - 2007

- “Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour” by the French President Jacques Chirac - 2004

- Medal by the Mayor of Athens, Mr. Avramopoulos - 1997

For more information on the distinctions, click here http://www.rodikratsa.gr/Category.asp?ID=60

Family

She is married to former Member of Greek Parliament and former Minister of Transports and Communications of New Democracy party, Apostolos Kratsas. They have two children, George, who studied law in London and Paris, specialises in European competition law (LSE University) and is now a PhD candidate, and Constance, who studied law and economics in London and specialises in trade and company law (UCL University).

External links

• Official website http://www.rodikratsa.eu
• Official page at the European Parliament YOUR MEPs: Rodi KRATSA-TSAGAROPOULOU http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/4482/Rodi_Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou.html
• Official page on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/pub/rodi-kratsa/23/876/b74
• Official page on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/RodiKratsa?ref=s
• Official page on Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/Rodi_Kratsa
• Official page on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/rodikratsa