Cecilia Malmström

Cecilia Malmström
European Commissioner for Trade
Assumed office
1 November 2014
President Jean-Claude Juncker
Preceded by Karel De Gucht
European Commissioner for Home Affairs
In office
9 February 2010 – 1 November 2014
President José Manuel Barroso
Preceded by Jacques Barrot
Succeeded by Dimitris Avramopoulos (Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship)
Minister for European Union Affairs
In office
6 October 2006 – 22 January 2010
Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt
Preceded by Position established
Succeeded by Birgitta Ohlsson
Personal details
Born Anna Cecilia Malmström
(1968-05-15) 15 May 1968
Stockholm, Sweden
Political party Liberal People's Party
Alma mater University of Gothenburg
Signature
Website Official website
Malmström at the Gothenburg Book Fair, 2011.

Anna Cecilia Malmström (born 15 May 1968) is a Swedish politician who has served as European Commissioner for Trade since 2014, having previously served as European Commissioner for Home Affairs from 2010 to 2014.

Prior to her appointment as a Commissioner, she had served as a Member of the European Parliament 1999–2006 and as Swedish Minister for European Union Affairs 2006–2010. She is a member of the Swedish Liberal People's Party, a constituent member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.

Early life

Cecilia Malmström was born in Brännkyrka parish in Stockholm and grew up in Gothenburg.

She took courses in literature in France in 1987, and was a student at the University of Gothenburg from 1992 to 1999: assistant researcher (1994); PhD in political science with thesis titled The Region, the Power and the Glory: Regional Parties in Western Europe[1] (1998); senior lecturer at the Department of Political Science at the University of Gothenburg (1998–99).[2] Her thesis was on regional parties in western Europe, focusing on Catalonia and northern Italy.[3] She has researched and taught in European politics, regionalism, immigration, and terrorism.

Malmström has also worked in Stuttgart and in Barcelona.

She is fluent in Swedish, English, Spanish and French, with intermediate skills in German and Italian.

Political career

Malmström has been a member of the Liberal Party since the late 1980s, sitting as party executive since 1997, and was a member of the Västra Götaland Regional Council from 1998–2001. In 2007, when Jan Björklund was elected party leader, she was appointed first vice party chairman.

Member of the European Parliament, 1999–2006

In 1999, Malmström was elected as a MEP for Sweden and she was re-elected again in 2004. During her tenure she served on the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Constitutional Affairs, the Internal Market and Consumer Protection and also on the subcommittees for Human Rights and Security & Defence. In addition, she served as vice chair of the parliament's delegations to Hungary (before it joined in 2004) and Croatia.

On the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Malmström authored a critical report on the EU’s Russia strategy and in 2002 became the Liberal group’s spokeswoman on foreign affairs.[3] She nominated Cuban dissident Oswaldo Payá for the Sakharov Prize, which he received from the Parliament in 2002.[3]

During her time as a MEP, Malmström initiated the oneseat.eu web campaign,[4] which aims to make the European Parliament permanently seated in Brussels. It was the first such petition to gain one million signatures, a nod to the right of petition under the Treaty of Lisbon.

In 2010, Malmström and nine fellow MEPs – including Nick Clegg and Helle Thorning-Schmidt – founded the Campaign for Parliament Reform (CPR) to press for changes to the way the European Parliament functions on a day-to-day basis.[5] She also campaigned for greater public access to official documents.[6]

Swedish Minister for European Affairs, 2006–2010

Following the 2006 Swedish elections which saw the victory of the centre-right coalition of Fredrik Reinfeldt, Malmström returned to Sweden to take up the job of Minister for European Affairs in Reinfeldt's cabinet on 6 October 2006. This included institutional issues, review of the EU budget, Baltic Sea Strategy, the Lisbon Strategy and coordinating the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2009.

Malmström supports Swedish adoption of the euro currency and in August 2007 she was one of the politicians calling for another referendum on euro membership (first was in 2003). "We respect the result of the referendum, of course, but still think that one should be able to argue for something one believes in ... A lot had changed since the 2003 referendum ... Slovenia has joined, Malta and Cyprus are joining at the beginning of next year. Next year, at least two Baltic countries will join. In 2010–11 there could be eight or nine new members. The more members there are, the greater the political price of being outside, because we can't make a difference ... Sweden had lost out economically by not joining the single European currency." She cited a report from the National Board of Trade: "We have lost 100 billion kronor in exports and the same amount in imports. Our trade with the eurozone would have been 13–14 percent greater if we had been members."[7]

Member of the European Commission, 2010–present

European Commissioner for Home Affairs, 2010–2014

On 17 November 2009 Malmström was nominated by her government as the country's next European Commissioner.[8] In his nomination, Prime Minister Reinfeldt also said that Carl Bildt, the foreign minister, was not nominated because it was unlikely that a Swede would be appointed to the post of President of the European Council or as High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.[8]

The President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso offered Malmström the role of Commissioner for Home Affairs which was created due to a liberal demand to split the previous portfolio which was joined with human rights. Despite this post being security oriented, Commissioner Malmström made clear to the Members of the European Parliament, that she would not be a bad cop to the fundamental rights portfolio's good cop. She was approved by MEPs and took up the post on 10 February 2010.[9]

One of her first initiatives as a Commissioner of the European Union was to propose a directive proposing stronger sanctions against sexual abuse of children,[10] where one of the proposed actions was to oblige the EU member states to block access to child pornography on the Internet.[11] Critics interpret that as installation of a net censorship infrastructure not helping children, but being counterproductive[12] and a dangerous threat to democracy.[13] NGO's working for children's right such as Save the Children and NSPCC have, however, come out to defend the action.[14] Malmström was quickly rewarded with the nickname 'Censilia' on the social web and in – mostly German – dailies,[15][16][17] a portmanteau word blending the word "censorship" and her given name (“Cecilia”) as a follow-up of the "Zensursula" nickname of the German minister Ursula von der Leyen who failed to establish similar filtering techniques in Germany due a decision to prioritize the deletion of illegal websites.

At the same period (March 2010), on her strive to provide European citizens with safety and security, Malmström established a political agreement between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission to implement the Article 10 of the United Nations' Firearms Protocol that combats the trafficking of illicit civilian firearms.[18]

On 11 March 2011, during the VII European Day on Remembrance of Victims of Terrorism on a conference on "The role of Victims of Terrorism in preventing violent radicalization", which was held in Brussels, Malmström gave a speech explaining the devastating effects of terrorism on a personal, as well as on a state level,[19] closing with the announcement of the forthcoming (R.A.N.) project.

In September 2011, Malmström officially launched the Radicalisation Awareness Network (R.A.N.),[20] which is a project aiming to tackle terrorism and violent extremism, through a preventive, rather than a combating way. The project comes as an additional tool of the EU's Counter Terrorism and Combat of Radicalisation and Recruitment to Terrorism Strategies. Less than a year later, the project consisted of a pan-European network of scientists, psychologists, N.G.O.s, victims of terrorism, religious leaders, representatives of civil society, police officers and an advisory board.[21]

On 2 May 2012, Malmström held a lecture at Harvard University on immigration and asylum, discussing with the students and professors that were present various issues related to integration, terrorism, human trafficking as well as the European crisis. The visit in Cambridge was followed by a meeting with the US Attorney General Eric Holder in Washington D.C. and an evening at the F.B.I., where a major exchange of opinions about the plan of the forthcoming European Cybercrime Centre (E.C.3) took place.[22] Malmström's short trip in the US was completed with a speech on Cyber Security in a Conference that took place in the C.S.I.S..

On 26 November 2012, together with Rob Wainwright, director of Europol, Malmström announced the launch of the new European Financial Coalition against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Online.[23][24] The aims of the Coalition are to support international law enforcement investigations wherever it is possible through co-operation with private stakeholders, to assess and study the commercial child sexual exploitation on the Internet through all kinds of Internet environments, such as hosting services and newsgroups, to help protect legitimate private business interests from possible misuse of their services perpetrated by criminals with the aim of distributing child sexual abuse content through different information and communication technologies, to empower law enforcement and private companies in counteracting the problem through the delivery of training and sharing of resources, as well as to inform decision makers and raise awareness among the public.

On 5 December 2012 on a conference held in Brussels, Belgium, under the High Patronage of Her Majesty Queen Paola of Belgium,[25] Malmström and US Attorney General Eric Holder launched the Global Alliance against Child Sexual Abuse Online.

The alliance, which met the strong support by Wainwright,[26] is an initiative aiming to unite decision-makers all around the world to better identify and assist victims and prosecute the perpetrators. The alliance is one of the greatest projects ever created in this field, as its participants include 48 nations worldwide (The 27 EU member states, as well as 21 non EU countries – Albania, Australia, Cambodia, Croatia, Georgia, Ghana, Japan, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, the Philippines, Serbia, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United States of America, and Vietnam).

On 11 January 2013, Wainwright and Malmström officially launched the European Cybercrime Centre (EC3), which is aiming to tackle cybercrime:

Malmström assumed the duties of EU Commissioner for Trade on 1 November 2014, as a member of the Juncker Commission.

European Commissioner for Trade, 2014–present

In July 2014, the Swedish government Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt nominated Malmström for a second term as European Commissioner. By September, the European Parliament gave its support to her nomination.[27] She assumed the duties of EU Commissioner for Trade on 1 November 2014, as a member of the Juncker Commission.[28]

Already in her nomination hearing, amid the Ukrainian crisis, Malmström rejected Russia’s demands for amendments to a free-trade agreement between the EU and Ukraine.[29] In December 2015, she failed in her final attempt to reach a breakthrough over Russia’s concerns, some of which were contrary to European and World Trade Organization rules.[30]

The mission letter for Malmström’s position also includes, as one of her key duties, the "successful conclusion" of the controversial trade negotiations with the USA, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), though with a number of restrictions and confinements to the negotiation mandate to address European public concerns over TTIP.[31] Having expressed a view strongly in favour of the treaty,[32] she tried to revive the negotiations with the USA two weeks after entering office.[33]

Despite claims of an "unprecedented level of transparency", the current documents cannot be read by all parliaments of EU member states, such as the German Bundestag, or political leaders such as vice chancellor Sigmar Gabriel.[34] After an estimated three million signatures collected for an opposing initiative, plus massive demonstrations, including one in Berlin in October 2015 opposing TTIP and CET,[35] and the largest protest since the Iraq War, Malmström claimed that the "silent majority [of Europeans]" were in favor of the treaty.[36]

In May 2015, Malmström and Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci announced a framework for broadening the European Union–Turkey Customs Union, extending it to include services, government contracting and most agricultural goods.[37] Also under her leadership, the EU finalized the negotiations on a major trade agreement with Vietnam in August 2015, removing 99 per cent of tariffs between Europe and Vietnam over the following decade as well as non-tariff barriers to trade, services, investment, intellectual property, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, government procurement, dispute settlement and sustainable development.[38][39]

Controversy

In an interview with John Hilary, the executive director of War on Want, in which Malmström reportedly acknowledged "that a trade deal has never inspired such passionate and widespread opposition", she is reported to have commented: "I do not take my mandate from the European people." [40]

Personal life

Malmström is married with children. She lives in Brussels, Belgium.[41] She is the author of several books, articles and essays on regional parties, regionalism, Spanish politics, European politics, immigration and terrorism, etc.

C.V.

Education

Career

References

  1. ↑ Regionen, makten och härligheten : regionala partier i Västeuropa.
  2. ↑ "CECILIA MALMSTRÖM - CURRICULUM VITAE" (PDF). Brussels, Belgium: European Commission. 3 July 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 Bengt Ljung (June 17, 2009), Cecilia Malmström – Sociable Swede European Voice.
  4. ↑ "Oneseat campaign". Oneseat.eu.
  5. ↑ Martin Banks (January 28, 2004), MEP candidates urged to sign reform pledge European Voice.
  6. ↑ Doubts raised over public register timetable European Voice, February 27, 2002.
  7. ↑ “Alliance rejects Liberal calls for euro vote”. The Local. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
  8. 1 2 Jarle Hetland and Simon Taylor (November 17, 2009), Sweden nominates Malmström as commissioner European Voice.
  9. ↑ Toby Vogel (February 10, 2010), New team takes office European Voice.
  10. ↑ "Press Release – European Commission wants stronger sanctions against child sexual abuse, sexual exploitation and child pornography". Europa (web portal).
  11. ↑ "Press Release – Commissioner Malmström welcomes political agreement on the Directive on combating sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of children and child pornography". Europa (web portal).
  12. ↑ McNamee, Joe (29 March 2010). “Pointless action on child pornography”. The Guardian. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  13. ↑ Lehmann, Alexander: “Cleanternet.org – for a cleaner and safer Internet”. Clip on Cleanternet.org. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
  14. ↑ Archived 20 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine.
  15. ↑ Borchers, Detlev (30 March 2010). “Sie tappt im Dunkeln”. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Retrieved 31 March 2010. (German)
  16. ↑ Güßgen, Florian (30 March 2010). “Schwarz-Gelb muss Brüssel Paroli bieten”. Der Stern. Retrieved 31 March 2010. (German)
  17. ↑ “Aus Zensursula wird Censilia”. Frankfurter Rundschau. Retrieved 30 March 2010. (German)
  18. ↑ "Press Release – Commissioner Malmström welcomes political agreement on stricter rules to combat illicit trafficking of civilian firearms". Europa (web portal).
  19. ↑ "Press Release – Member of the European Commission responsible for Home Affairs VII European Day on Remembrance of Victims of Terrorism Conference on "The role of Victims of Terrorism in preventing violent radicalization" Brussels, 11 March 2011". Europa (web portal).
  20. ↑ "DGs – Home Affairs – What we do – Networks – Radicalisation Awareness Network". European Commission.
  21. ↑ "Prevention of radicalisation – European Commission". European Commission. 17 July 2012.
  22. ↑ "Cybercrime discussions in Washington – European Commission". European Commission. 17 June 2012.
  23. ↑ "European Financial Coalition against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Online launched". The Sofia Globe.
  24. ↑ http://eurojust.europa.eu/press/News/News/Pages/EFC-launch.aspx
  25. ↑ "Eric Holder To Help Launch Alliance Against Pedophilia". Huffington Post. 4 December 2012.
  26. ↑ "Safernet – Hotline for a safer Internet". Safernet.ro.
  27. ↑ Andrew Gardner (September 30, 2014), MEPs give backing to Malmström European Voice.
  28. ↑ Cynthia Kroet (July 31, 2014), Sweden nominates Malmström as commissioner European Voice.
  29. ↑ Robin Emmott (September 29, 2014), Russia cannot change EU-Ukraine deal: EU trade nominee Reuters.
  30. ↑ Ian Wishart (December 21, 2015), EU Fails to Reach Agreement With Russia Over Europe-Ukraine FTA Bloomberg Business.
  31. ↑ Malmström Mission Letter as the Commissioner for Trade of the Juncker Commission, (2014-11-01) - accessed (2014-11-27)
  32. ↑ Guardian, accessed (2015-2-16)]
  33. ↑ Malmström attempts to revive EU-US trade talks, EU Observer (2014-11-18) - accessed (2014-11-27)
  34. ↑ "Transparency in TTIP".
  35. ↑ "Thousands take to Berlin to protest EU-US TTIP accord".
  36. ↑ "Malmström: "A silent majority is for TTIP"".
  37. ↑ Matthew Dalton and Emre Peker (May 12, 2015), EU and Turkey to Expand Customs Union Wall Street Journal.
  38. ↑ Christian Oliver (August 4, 2015), Brussels seals trade accord with Vietnam Financial Times.
  39. ↑ Jonathan Stearns (August 4, 2015), EU, Vietnam Reach Free-Trade Deal That May Take Effect End-2017 Bloomberg Business.
  40. ↑ "John Hilary: "I didn’t think TTIP could get any scarier, but then I spoke to the EU official in charge of it"".
  41. ↑ "About me: Biography". European Commission - Cecilia Malmström. Retrieved 30 September 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cecilia Malmström.
Political offices
Preceded by
Position established		 Minister for European Union Affairs
2006–2010 		Succeeded by
Birgitta Ohlsson
Preceded by
Jan Kohout		 President of the Council of the European Union
2009–2010 		Succeeded by
Miguel Ángel Moratinos
Preceded by
Margot Wallström		 Swedish European Commissioner
2010–present 		Incumbent
Preceded by
Jacques Barrot
as European Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security		 European Commissioner for Home Affairs
2010–2014 		Succeeded by
Dimitris Avramopoulos
as European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship
Preceded by
Karel De Gucht		 European Commissioner for Trade
2014–present 		Incumbent
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