Adina-Ioana Vălean (born 16 February 1968) is a Romanian politician who has been serving as European Commissioner for Transport under the leadership of President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen since 2019.[1] She previously served as a Member of the European Parliament from 2007 until 2019, where she chaired of the European Parliament Committee on Industry, Research and Energy in 2019.
Education
Vălean has a master's degree in European Integration and Security Studies, postgraduate studies in National Security and Defence Management and a bachelor's degree in mathematics.[2]
Political career
Career in national politics
A member of the National Liberal Party (PNL), and a member of the European Peoples Party, Vălean was elected to the Chamber of Deputies on the Justice and Truth list for Călărași County (during the 2004 elections).[3]
Member of the European Parliament, 2007–2019
Vălean became a Member of the European Parliament on 1 January 2007, with the accession of Romania to the European Union. Throughout her time in parliament, she served on the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy; in 2019, she became the committee's chairwoman. During her time on the committee, she was the Parliament's rapporteur for the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF)[1] and the European Union roaming regulations.[4]
From 2014 to 2017, Vălean was one of the Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament under the leadership of President Antonio Tajani; in that capacity, she was in charge of information and communications technology (ICT).[5] She also chaired the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety from 2017 until 2019 and served on the Committee on Petitions from 2009 until 2014.[6][7]
In addition to her committee assignments, Vălean was part of the Parliaments delegations with the countries of Southeast Europe (2007–2009); the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly (2009–2014); and the United States (since 2014). She was also a member of the Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue (TLD);[5] the European Internet Forum;[8] and the European Parliament Intergroup on Long Term Investment and Reindustrialisation.[9]
European Commissioner for Transport, 2019–present
In November 2019, the center-right government under Prime Minister Ludovic Orban put Vălean and Siegfried Mureșan forward as candidates to be the country's next European Commissioner.[10] Vălean was subsequently picked to be the European Commissioner for Transport by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.[1]
In early March 2020, Vălean was appointed by von der Leyen to serve on the commission's special task force to coordinate the European Union's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11]
Personal life
Vălean is married to Crin Antonescu and has one child.[5]
References
- ^ a b c "Adina-Ioana Vălean picked for transport commissioner job". POLITICO. 6 November 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
- ^ "Adina Vălean Biography" (PDF). www.commissioners.ec.europa.eu. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
- ^ "Curriculum Vitae Adina Vălean" (PDF). www.europaparl.europa.eu. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
- ^ Huw Jones (March 24, 2009), EU in draft deal on capping phone roaming prices Reuters.
- ^ a b c "Adina-Ioana VĂLEAN - former EPP Group MEP". www.eppgroup.eu. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
- ^ "8th parliamentary term | Adina-Ioana VĂLEAN | MEPs | European Parliament". www.europarl.europa.eu. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
- ^ "7th parliamentary term | Adina-Ioana VĂLEAN | MEPs | European Parliament". www.europarl.europa.eu. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
- ^ Members European Internet Forum.
- ^ Members European Parliament Intergroup on Long Term Investment and Reindustrialisation.
- ^ Carmen Paun (November 6, 2019), Romania puts forward 2 center-right MEPs for Commission post Politico Europe.
- ^ "France's freewheeling Thierry Breton rises to the crisis". POLITICO. 9 April 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
- (in Romanian) Profile at the Chamber of Deputies site