Brussels Region, Belgium
Currently I represent the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg to the European Institutions in Brussels. I read history, economics, law, and international relations at the universities of Fribourg (Switzerland) and Cambridge (England). In 1993, I joined the German Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt), where I worked in several foreign policy areas, including bilateral relations with the Nordic states, Germany’s membership of the Council of the Baltic Sea States and Protocol. After having been posted to the German Embassies in Sarajevo and London, I was Private Secretary to the Minister of State in the Foreign Office. In 2006, I was seconded to the European Commission, first co-ordinating foreign policy in DG RELEX and then as Policy Co-ordinator in the Secretariat General of the Commission. I have been Director of the Hanse-Office and Head of the Department for European Affairs in Hamburg’s Senate Chancellery since August 2009.
Representing the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg to the European Institutions and in charge of Hamburg’s EU policy, liaising with the city’s Senate and Parliament as well as its companies, associations, academic institutions and other bodies with an interest in European affairs. Covering European politics, general and institutional developments of the EU and their repercussions for Hamburg. Responsible for official representation and public relations as well as personnel and organisational matters.
Monitoring, co-ordinating and contributing pro-actively to transport and environment policy to ensure all proposals are coherent and compatible with the political priorities and strategic objectives of the European Commission. This involves advising the (Deputy) Secretary-General as well as the President's Cabinet (in particular providing early warning of potential problems); contributing to the definition and coherence of political objectives and priorities as well as to regular and ad hoc briefing on points on the Commission's agenda, and to the overall planning and programming of the Commission's work; helping develop, implement and monitor co-ordination mechanisms within the Commission. It also requires representing the Secretariat-General in inter-service meetings, including those for the preparation of Impact Assessments, and shadowing the work of the Directorates-General for Transport (TREN) and Environment (ENV); monitoring the preparation, quality (substance and presentation) and pertinence of proposals; working pro-actively to improve co-ordination and co-operation between Commission Services - when necessary, mediating/arbitrating between them - and acting where appropriate as a bridge between Services and Cabinets; contributing to the upstream coordination of key files, identified by the Secretary General and the Cabinet of the President; following and replying to inter-service consultations and managing the use of "Fast-Track" consultation procedures; analysing and synthesising the positions of different Commission Services and/or external stakeholders.
Contributing pro-actively to policy making within the framework of the CFSP and the EU's external action mechanisms in order to ensure the Commission's active participation in CFSP. This involved assisting and advising the Commission's representative to the PSC and the European Correspondent as well as liaising with other units in RELEX and relevant Commission Services to prepare and follow up on meetings of the European Council, the General Affairs External Relations Council, COREPER, PSC and Council working groups. More generally, in order to give political input into the definition of the Commission’s strategic objectives and its position on politically important external relations issues, it required reviewing CFSP-related developments and co-ordinating Commission Services on CFSP matters in the geographical and thematic areas falling under my responsibility. My remit included Sub-Saharan Africa, ACP countries, the Western Balkans, consular co-operation, humanitarian operations, terrorism, WMD, export controls, disarmament, non-proliferation and - as the desk officer in charge of liaising with the other units in Directorate A, especially crisis management. Thus contributing to the functioning of the Commission's Crisis Platform mainly involved employing civilian crisis management mechanisms as well as assisting in the planning of ESDP operations. To this effect, it was crucial to build and maintain a useful network of contacts inside the Commission as well as with the Secretariat General of the Council and representatives of Member States, especially the Presidency. Reviewing and analysing COREU and Cipher traffic in order to ensure a high quality level of EUCI communications, especially Commission COREUS, and to prepare the daily COREU flash, thus providing updates to key recipients throughout the Commission. Explaining CFSP issues to Commission staff, third parties and a broader public about CFSP/EU external action, mostly through presentations.
Advising the Minister on foreign policy, especially concerning international crises (primarily Darfur), post-conflict situations (particularly in the run-up to the ESDP Mission in DRC), conflict prevention and civilian crisis management (mainly in the immediate aftermath of the Asian tsunami in December 2004); arranging official foreign visits and accompanying the Minister to African flashpoints such as Sudan, the Great Lakes region, Ethiopia/Eritrea and Sierra Leone in order to provide advice in situ; advising the Minister on international cultural relations; organising the Minister’s parliamentary week (including preparation for cabinet meetings) and providing full briefing; speechwriting.
Monitoring and analytical reporting on British politics and foreign policy; liaising with Whitehall, Parliament and the political parties; working on all aspects of German-British relations, especially in the political sphere; speechwriting; giving lectures; participation in panel discussions and conferences; organising working groups; planning, organising and accompanying official German visits to the UK.
In charge of the Central Europe Working Group (CEWG) in Brussels (co-ordinating and contributing to briefing across Whitehall departments for the weekly meetings of the CEWG; instructing the British representative in the CEWG on the government’s position to take or attending the working group; monitoring progress of the enlargement negotiations). Parliamentary work (drafting answers to parliamentary questions and enquiries relating to EU enlargement and providing the accompanying supplementary briefing for Ministers). Briefing Ministers and senior officials on EU enlargement; contributing to the formulation and implementation of UK policy on enlargement issues; keeping information on enlargement, especially regarding the UK position, updated. Monitoring developments connected with enlargement in EU Member States and organising joint actions on enlargement with Member States.