Julian Priestley

Sir Julian Gordon Priestley KCMG (26 May 1950 – 22 April 2017) served as Secretary-General of the European Parliament 1997–2007.[1] He was the second President of the Young European Federalists 1974–1976.

Sir Julian Priestley KCMG
Secretary General of the European Parliament
In office 1 March 1997 – 1 March 2007
President	José María Gil-Robles Nicole Fontaine Pat Cox Josep Borrell Hans-Gert Pöttering
Preceded by	Enrico Vinci
Succeeded by	Harald Rømer
Personal details
Born	Julian Gordon Priestley 26 May 1950 Croydon, Surrey, England
Died	22 April 2017 (aged 66)
Political party	Labour
Education	St Boniface's Catholic College
Alma mater	Balliol College, Oxford

Biography

Born in Croydon, Priestley was educated at St Boniface's Catholic College, Plymouth, and Balliol College, Oxford, graduating in 1972 with an honours degree in philosophy, politics and economics (PPE).[2] He was president of the Oxford Union and chairman of the Oxford University Labour Club. He stood three times for Labour in Plymouth (twice in Plymouth Sutton and once in Plymouth Devonport) in general elections (in Plymouth Devonport against David Owen). From 1974 to 1976 he was President of the Young European Federalists.

Priestley has been an Official of the European Parliament since 1973, first as Administrator, then Principal Administrator with the secretariat of the Committee on Budgets 1973-83, Chairman, Staff Committee of the European Parliament (1981–83), Head of Division of the Committee on Energy, Research and Technology 1984-87, Co-chairman of the Staff Regulations Committee of the EC (1985–87), Director in the Directorate General of Committees and Interparliamentary Delegations, responsible for budgetary affairs and the single market 1987-1989, Secretary General, Socialist Group, European Parliament 1989-94, Director, Private Offices of the President of the European Parliament 1994-1997, and Secretary General, European Parliament from March 1997 until March 2007[2]

The Secretariat of the European Parliament is the administrative body of the European Parliament headed by a Secretary-General. It is based in the Kirchberg district of Luxembourg and around the Brussels-Luxembourg Station in Brussels and employs 4000 officials. Priestley was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 2007 Birthday Honours.[3] He was asked to participate in the second Irish referendum campaign on the Lisbon Treaty. Priestley is the author of Six Battles That Shaped Europe's Parliament (2008).[4] He died on 22 April 2017, aged 66.

References

1. "Julian Priestley to step down as Secretary-General of the European Parliament". Europarl.europa.eu. 24 October 2006. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
2. "Curriculum Vitae". Google. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
3. "No. 58358". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 June 2007. p. 3.
4. "Six Battles that Shaped Europe's Parliament". John Harper Publishing. 6 April 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2011.