MEP AWARDS 2007

German socialist Evelyne Gebhardt has worked as an MEP for 13 years. She is best known for her role in shaping the controversial Services Directive that was finally agreed on by Parliament in March last year. As parliamentary rapporteur on the legislation to open up the EU services sector to cross-border competition, Gebhardt played an important role in facilitating agreement between the Parliament's divergent political groups.

Today she continues to maintain a high profile in the employment sector through her role on the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection.  Gebhardt is also a member of the Delegation for Relations with China. Outside her political work, Gebhardt is a qualified translator.

Mary Lou Macdonald has a background of involvement in trade unions and employment and was elected to the European Parliament in 2004. This year she has kept employment in focus and has been busy driving a report on the ILO Maritime Labour Convention through Parliament and the Employment and Social Affairs Committee. The code was adopted in February this year following Macdonald's close coordination with the Commission and workers' representatives.

She has also pushed for action to be taken against the growing problem of corporate manslaughter and has worked to support community groups by providing them access to the European institutions. Macdonald says this year employment issues will continue to be uppermost in her mind and she will press the EU to prioritise social inclusion. She says that she will also be continuing to ask questions on child poverty and pressuring for the empowerment of marginalised groups. Macdonald is also a substitute member on the Civil Liberties Committee.

Lynne was also the shadow rapporteur for the European Liberal Democrats on both the Vibrations Directive and the Noise Directive. She negotiated a number of amendments to make them less onerous on businesses. Before coming to Brussels in 1999, Lynne worked as an MP in Great Britain. Lynne is no stranger to employment legislation, having worked as her party's Social Security and Disability spokesperson in the UK before she turned her attentions to European politics.