prof. Jerzy Buzek

Member of the European Parliament, Prime Minister of the Polish Government from 1997 to 2001

Silesian, Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland, President of the European Parliament, professor of technical sciences, expert in energy innovation.

Education:

• In 1963, he received a master's degree in mechanical-power engineering, then a postdoctoral degree, and finally the title of professor of technical sciences at the Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice.
• In 1971, he completed a research internship at Cambridge University.
• In the 1980s, he was involved in scientific work in the field of air protection with implementations in industry.
• Member and Secretary of the Scientific Committee of Chemical and Process Engineering of the Polish Academy of Sciences.

Political activities:

• In 1980, he became active in the NSZZ “Solidarność”, becoming chairman of the union's Works Committee and then a delegate to the First National Delegates' Convention of the Solidarność. Since 1981, he has repeatedly chaired the National Congress of Delegates.
• In 1997 - was elected to the Sejm on behalf of the Solidarność Electoral Action, and later designated as Prime Minister.
• Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland 1997- 2001
• Heading the Polish government, he initiated the process of decentralization and empowerment of local government in Poland. He carried out reforms in administration, education, health, and pensions, among others.
• During his reign, Poland joined NATO and began negotiations for Poland's membership in the European Union.
• Member of the European Parliament 2004-2009
• Obtaining the best electoral result in Poland, he was awarded a parliamentary seat in the European Parliament.
• Rapporteur for the Seventh Framework Program for Research and Innovation, as well as the European Strategic Plan for Energy and Technology.
• Represented the European Parliament during the Orange Revolution in Ukraine.
• President of the European Parliament 2009 -2012
• Receiving again the best electoral result in Poland, he was awarded a mandate to the European Parliament for a second term.
• Elected President of the European Parliament, he was the first and so far, only head of this institution from Central and Eastern Europe. During his term, he initiated and popularized the European Energy Community, today known as the Energy Union.

Activities in the European Parliament 2014-2019

• Headed the work of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
• Rapporteur on several strategic reports including the amendment of the Gas Directive and the Security of Gas Supply Regulation.
• Served on the Subcommittee on Security and Defense and the Delegation for Relations with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
• He was a deputy on the Foreign Affairs Committee, the Delegation for EU-Moldova Parliamentary Cooperation, and the Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly.

Activities in the current term of the European Parliament 2019- 2024

• Directs the European Energy Forum.
• Sits on the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and on the Delegation for Relations with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
• He is a deputy on the Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee, the Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly and the Subcommittee on Security and Defense.

Honors and awards

• Kawaler Orderu Orła Białego.
• Honorary citizen of several Polish cities,
• Doctor Honoris Causa of several universities of Europe and the world.
• Man of the Year of the Silesian Province (Forbes, 2007),
• Silesian Quality Award for the initiative of creating the Innovative Silesian Cluster of Clean Coal Technologies (2007).
• Honorary Membership of the Silesian Lodge of the Business Centre Club (2008).
• Best Polish MEP (according to Wprost and Rzeczpospolita, 2008)
• “MEP of the Year” according to Brussels-based “The Parliament Magazine” (2006 and 2013)
• In 2016, the “Euractiv” portal ranked him among the three most influential people in European energy policy in its “EurActory40” ranking.
• Most influential Polish MEP in 2017, according to the prestigious VoteWatch Europe website.
• Winner of the rankings of the Rzeczpospolita daily for the best Polish MEP in 2018.
• Receiving the second-best electoral result in Poland, he was awarded a mandate to the European Parliament for 2019-2024.
• One of the most influential people of the European gas market according to Politico.eu in 2019.
• One of the most followed Twitter users among politicians, EC officials and MEPs according to Politico.eu in 2019.
• Rapporteur for the Fair Transformation Fund.
• MEP of the Year 2020 according to Brussels-based The Parliament Magazine.