Heidi Hautala
Encyclopedia
Heidi Anneli Hautala is a Finnish politician (Greens), currently serving as Minister for International Development and ownership steering issues in Jyrki Katainen's cabinet
. She was a Member of the European Parliament
from 1995 to 2003 and 2009 to 2011 where she chaired the Subcommittee on Human Rights
2009–2011. Hautala was the leader of the Finnish Green Party
from 1987 to 1991, and a presidential candidate in 2000 and 2006. In the first round of the 2006 election
she finished fourth of the eight candidates with a vote share of 3.5% (105,248 votes). She was a member of the national parliament from 1991 to 1995. After Finland
joined the European Union
(EU) in 1995, she was elected to the European Parliament
. She returned to the national Parliament in the elections of 2003, and in 2009, she was re-elected
to the European Parliament. She is a signatory of the 2010 Declaration on Crimes of Communism
, a patron of its preceding conference, and was a member of the Reconciliation of European Histories Group
as an MEP.
Hautala is the chairwoman of the Administrative Council of Neste Oil
, a Finnish oil refining and marketing company producing mainly transportation fuels and other refined petroleum products.
Hautala currently continues to work closely with EU affairs as a member of the Grand Committee. In addition, she has chaired the Green parliamentary group and currently she is the Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee in the Finnish Parliament. Also she is a member of the Parliament's Speaker's Council. As well Hautala is Chairperson of the National Equality Commission (TANE). She advocates environmental responsibility, openness in politics, and global justice.
Heidi Hautala is engaged to work also in organizations on the side of her work in Finnish Parliament. She is former President of Service Centre for Development Cooperation and current Member of the executive bureau of Crisis Management Initiative
which President is Martti Ahtisaari
former President of Finland (1994–2000) and a United Nations diplomat and mediator, noted for his international peace work.
Hautala is the chairwoman of the Finnish-Russian Civic Forum, established in 2007 to promote the Finnish-Russian dialogue and strengthen the Russian civil society.
In 2001, Hautala successfully took the Council of the European Union
to the European Court of Justice
over access to a document on arms export rules. The Court ruled that the ministers should have considered publishing at least part of the document. The so-called "Hautala case" set a precedent in European law for access to documents.
Hautala has a master's degree
in horticulture
. She has one child, Jasper (b. 1981).
's Russia.
In 2008, she published the book "Venäjä-teesit. Vakaus vai vapaus" about Russia.
Jyrki Katainen's cabinet
Jyrki Katainen's cabinet is the 72nd cabinet of Finland, formed as a result of the 2011 post-parliamentary election negotiations between the Finnish parliamentary parties...
. She was a Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
from 1995 to 2003 and 2009 to 2011 where she chaired the Subcommittee on Human Rights
Subcommittee on Human Rights
The Subcommittee on Human Rights is a subcommittee of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament. The committee is chaired by Barbara Lochbihler .- See also :* Sakharov Prize...
2009–2011. Hautala was the leader of the Finnish Green Party
Green League
The Green League is a centrist green liberal political party in Finland. It has ten seats in the Finnish Parliament and two in the European Parliament. The current chairperson is Ville Niinistö....
from 1987 to 1991, and a presidential candidate in 2000 and 2006. In the first round of the 2006 election
Finnish presidential election, 2006
The Finnish Presidential election of 2006 saw the re-election of Tarja Halonen as President of Finland for a second six-year term.The first round of voting in Finnish presidential elections always takes place on the third Sunday of January, in this case 15 January 2006...
she finished fourth of the eight candidates with a vote share of 3.5% (105,248 votes). She was a member of the national parliament from 1991 to 1995. After Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
joined the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
(EU) in 1995, she was elected to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
. She returned to the national Parliament in the elections of 2003, and in 2009, she was re-elected
European Parliament election, 2009 (Finland)
The European Parliament election of 2009 in Finland was the election of the delegation from Finland to the European Parliament in 2009.Finland uses the open list d'Hondt method, where voters vote for an individual, but the individual's vote is counted primarily for the party and secondarily for the...
to the European Parliament. She is a signatory of the 2010 Declaration on Crimes of Communism
Declaration on Crimes of Communism
The Declaration on Crimes of Communism is a declaration signed on 25 February 2010 by several prominent European politicians, former political prisoners, human rights advocates and historians, which calls for the condemnation of communism...
, a patron of its preceding conference, and was a member of the Reconciliation of European Histories Group
Reconciliation of European Histories Group
The Reconciliation of European Histories Group is an informal all-party group in the European Parliament involved in promoting the Prague Process in all of Europe, aimed at coming to terms with the totalitarian past in many countries of Europe...
as an MEP.
Hautala is the chairwoman of the Administrative Council of Neste Oil
Neste Oil
Neste Oil is a Finnish oil refining and marketing company producing mainly transportation fuels and other refined petroleum products. Neste Oil shares are quoted on the Helsinki Stock Exchange.- History :...
, a Finnish oil refining and marketing company producing mainly transportation fuels and other refined petroleum products.
Hautala currently continues to work closely with EU affairs as a member of the Grand Committee. In addition, she has chaired the Green parliamentary group and currently she is the Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee in the Finnish Parliament. Also she is a member of the Parliament's Speaker's Council. As well Hautala is Chairperson of the National Equality Commission (TANE). She advocates environmental responsibility, openness in politics, and global justice.
Heidi Hautala is engaged to work also in organizations on the side of her work in Finnish Parliament. She is former President of Service Centre for Development Cooperation and current Member of the executive bureau of Crisis Management Initiative
Crisis Management Initiative
Crisis Management Initiative is an independent, non-governmental organisation that works to resolve conflict and to build sustainable peace. CMI has offices in Helsinki and Brussels and activities in Liberia, Ethiopia, the Black Sea region, Middle East and Aceh. It was founded by Martti Ahtisaari,...
which President is Martti Ahtisaari
Martti Ahtisaari
Martti Oiva Kalevi Ahtisaari is a Finnish politician, the tenth President of Finland , Nobel Peace Prize laureate and United Nations diplomat and mediator, noted for his international peace work....
former President of Finland (1994–2000) and a United Nations diplomat and mediator, noted for his international peace work.
Hautala is the chairwoman of the Finnish-Russian Civic Forum, established in 2007 to promote the Finnish-Russian dialogue and strengthen the Russian civil society.
In 2001, Hautala successfully took the Council of the European Union
Council of the European Union
The Council of the European Union is the institution in the legislature of the European Union representing the executives of member states, the other legislative body being the European Parliament. The Council is composed of twenty-seven national ministers...
to the European Court of Justice
European Court of Justice
The Court can sit in plenary session, as a Grand Chamber of 13 judges, or in chambers of three or five judges. Plenary sitting are now very rare, and the court mostly sits in chambers of three or five judges...
over access to a document on arms export rules. The Court ruled that the ministers should have considered publishing at least part of the document. The so-called "Hautala case" set a precedent in European law for access to documents.
Hautala has a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
. She has one child, Jasper (b. 1981).
Criticism of Vladimir Putin's Russia
Hautala is a rare Finnish politician who has criticized Vladimir PutinVladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
's Russia.
In 2008, she published the book "Venäjä-teesit. Vakaus vai vapaus" about Russia.