MEP AWARDS 2007

Eugenijus Gentvilas is a member of the Regional Development Committee and has worked as shadow rapporteur on a number of reports affecting the European regions. Specifically, much of his work in the regions has centred on legislation surrounding EU airports, waterways and rivers. In his native Lithuania, Gentvilas can frequently be found heading seminars and leading debates on the implementation of EU structural funds. He has channelled much of his political energies into educating Lithuanian citizens on how their business projects can best attract European funding. Gentvilas has worked in the European Parliament for three years. His other political interests include economic development, the environment and gender equality. Gentvilas is also a substitute on the Gender Equality Committee.

The Scottish MEP was a member of the Parliament’s Regional Committee until January this year. His time in the committee was largely spent examining budgets and exploring how the EU regions can make the most of European funds.

Over the years Smith has worked hard to build links between Scotland and its partners across Central and Eastern Europe. As Scottish aid from Brussels has wound down, Smith has focused on helping new EU member states utilise European funds and encouraging them to learn lessons from the Scottish model.

The MEP for Scotland is now a member of the Agriculture Committee and has been able to take his regional development arguments into the rural field. His main political interests include pushing sustainable agriculture, regional development and stronger transport links. He believes that communities on Europe’s peripheries need strong, efficient transport links and has pledged to continue his focus on regional politics by working to improve partnerships between local and European bodies.

Jan Olbrycht is the Vice Chairman of the European Parliament's Committee on Regional Development. He was Parliament’s rapporteur on a report dealing with regulations on European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) – legislation designed to strengthen and promote cross-border, transnational and interregional cooperation. Ahead of Romanian and Bulgarian EU entry on January 1 this year, Olbrycht was also involved in examining how European funds could best be used by Europe’s new comers. He has been nominated raporteur of an opinion on urban transport that the Parliament will deal with in the coming months.

Olbrycht is also a part of the Parliament’s delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China, a substitute for the Committee on Transport and Tourism and Vice President of the Parliamentary Intergroup URBAN-Housing. He has a long history of working in regional politics. Before his work as an MEP, Olbrycht was elected the first mayor of the Polish border town of Cieszyn, and then re-elected in 1994. He was also elected first Marshal (President) of the Silesian Region and worked for the Association of Polish Cities. He has also represented Polish regions in the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in Strasbourg.