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Jean Rey (politician)
Encyclopedia
Jean Rey was a Belgian
lawyer and Liberal politician who became the second President of the European Commission.
, where he obtained a PhD in 1926. He began his career as a barrister at the Court of Appeal in Liège. His commitment to the Walloon Movement
drew him into politics. He joined the Liberal party
and was elected city councillor of Liège in 1935. In 1939, he won a seat in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives.
In the wake of World War II, he was one of the most vocal opponents of the policy of "independence" (in fact, neutrality) of the Belgian government and Léopold III
. Mobilized as reserve officer in 1940, he was captured by the Germans and spent the rest of the war in in the Nazi concentration camp
Oflag XD (Offizier-Lager; E:officer camp) near Fischbeck
, where he was member of the clandestine Masonic Lodge
L'Obstinée
. As early as 1947, he promoted a bill on the organization of a federal state. However, a majority in the Belgian Parliament refused to take it into consideration.
Rey was Minister of Reconstruction from 1949 until 1950, and Minister of Economy from 1954 until 1958. As such, he was involved both in the early development of the European Coal and Steel Community
and in the negotiations that led to the creation of the European Economic Community
(EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community
(EAEC).
Member of the Commission (Hallstein Commission
) of the CEE from 1958 until 1967, responsible for external relations, he played an important role in the negotiations of the Kennedy Round
(1964–1967).
In 1967, he succeeded Walter Hallstein
as President of the European Commission (he was the first President of the Commission of the merged CSCE, CEE and EAEC).
Still a convinced federalist, he undertook to reinforce the Community institutions.
He won increased powers for the European Parliament
and advocated its election by universal suffrage.
During his presidency, he oversaw the completion of the customs union
(1968).
He also played an important role the Summit of The Hague in 1969, where the European leaders decided to relaunch European integration with two new initiatives: on the one hand, Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union
(EMU), and on the other hand, European Political Cooperation (EPC), which foreshadow the euro and the Common Foreign and Security Policy
of the European Union today.
It was also at The Hague
that France gave up its resistance against the accession of the United Kingdom to the EEC.
Finally, in 1970, the last year of this mandate, Rey managed to win the European governments' support for his proposal to give the Community "own resources".
This meant that the EEC no longer depended exclusively on contributions by the member states, but could complete these with revenues from customs duties, levies on agricultural products from outside the Community, in addition to a share of the VAT revenue.
From 1964 until 1974, Rey was chairman of the board of the College of Europe
in Brugge
.
He presided the over European Movement
from 1974 to 1978 and was member of the Jean Monnet Foundation for Europe
.
In 1979, he became member of the first European Parliament
elected by universal suffrage
.
Jean Rey also remained active in Belgian politics.
He became the éminence grise of the French-speaking liberals who broke away from the unitary Party for Freedom and Progress
to form the Parti Réformateur et Libéral Wallon (PRLW) in 1976.
Jean Rey died in his native city Liège. In the European Quarter
of Brussels
, there is now a square named after him
.
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Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
lawyer and Liberal politician who became the second President of the European Commission.
Early life
Born in Liège in a Protestant family, he studied law at the University of LiègeUniversity of Liège
The University of Liège , in Liège, Wallonia, Belgium, is a major public university in the French Community of Belgium. Its official language is French.-History:...
, where he obtained a PhD in 1926. He began his career as a barrister at the Court of Appeal in Liège. His commitment to the Walloon Movement
Walloon Movement
The Walloon Movement is an umbrella term for all Belgian political movements that either assert the existence of a Walloon identity or defend French culture and language within Belgium. The movement began as a defence of the primacy of French but later gained political and socio-economic objectives...
drew him into politics. He joined the Liberal party
Liberal Party (Belgium)
The Liberal Party was a Belgian political party that existed from 1846 until 1961, when it became the Party for Freedom and Progress, Partij voor Vrijheid en Vooruitgang/Parti de la Liberté et du Progrès or PVV-PLP, under the leadership of Omer Vanaudenhove.-History:The Liberal Party was founded...
and was elected city councillor of Liège in 1935. In 1939, he won a seat in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives.
In the wake of World War II, he was one of the most vocal opponents of the policy of "independence" (in fact, neutrality) of the Belgian government and Léopold III
Leopold III of Belgium
Leopold III reigned as King of the Belgians from 1934 until 1951, when he abdicated in favour of the Heir Apparent,...
. Mobilized as reserve officer in 1940, he was captured by the Germans and spent the rest of the war in in the Nazi concentration camp
Nazi concentration camps
Nazi Germany maintained concentration camps throughout the territories it controlled. The first Nazi concentration camps set up in Germany were greatly expanded after the Reichstag fire of 1933, and were intended to hold political prisoners and opponents of the regime...
Oflag XD (Offizier-Lager; E:officer camp) near Fischbeck
Fischbeck
Fischbeck is a village and a former municipality in the district of Stendal, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the municipality Wust-Fischbeck....
, where he was member of the clandestine Masonic Lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
L'Obstinée
Obstinée
L'Obstinée was a Masonic Lodge founded in the Nazi prisoner-of-war camp Oflag XD during World War II. Together with the Lodges Liberté chérie and "Les frères captifs d'Allach", it was one of the very few lodges founded within a Nazi concentration or POW camp....
Career after World War II
After the war, he became an advocate of the federalization of BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. As early as 1947, he promoted a bill on the organization of a federal state. However, a majority in the Belgian Parliament refused to take it into consideration.
Rey was Minister of Reconstruction from 1949 until 1950, and Minister of Economy from 1954 until 1958. As such, he was involved both in the early development of the European Coal and Steel Community
European Coal and Steel Community
The European Coal and Steel Community was a six-nation international organisation serving to unify Western Europe during the Cold War and create the foundation for the modern-day developments of the European Union...
and in the negotiations that led to the creation of the European Economic Community
European Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
(EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community
European Atomic Energy Community
The European Atomic Energy Community is an international organisation which is legally distinct from the European Union , but has the same membership, and is governed by the EU's institutions....
(EAEC).
Member of the Commission (Hallstein Commission
Hallstein Commission
The Hallstein Commission is the European Commission that held office from 7 January 1958 to 30 June 1967. Its President was Walter Hallstein and held two separate mandates.-Work:...
) of the CEE from 1958 until 1967, responsible for external relations, he played an important role in the negotiations of the Kennedy Round
Kennedy Round
The Kennedy round was the sixth session of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade trade negotiations held in 1964-1967 in Geneva, Switzerland. Congressional passage of the US Trade Expansion Act in 1962 authorized the White House to conduct mutual tariff negotiations ultimately leading to the...
(1964–1967).
In 1967, he succeeded Walter Hallstein
Walter Hallstein
Walter Hallstein was a German politician and professor.He was one of the key figures of European integration after World War II, becoming the first President of the Commission of the European Economic Community, serving from 1958 to 1967. He famously defined his position as "a kind of Prime...
as President of the European Commission (he was the first President of the Commission of the merged CSCE, CEE and EAEC).
Still a convinced federalist, he undertook to reinforce the Community institutions.
He won increased powers for 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...
and advocated its election by universal suffrage.
During his presidency, he oversaw the completion of the customs union
Customs union
A customs union is a type of trade bloc which is composed of a free trade area with a common external tariff. The participant countries set up common external trade policy, but in some cases they use different import quotas...
(1968).
He also played an important role the Summit of The Hague in 1969, where the European leaders decided to relaunch European integration with two new initiatives: on the one hand, Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union
Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union
The Economic and Monetary Union is an umbrella term for the group of policies aimed at converging the economies of members of the European Union in three stages so as to allow them to adopt a single currency, the euro. As such, it is largely synonymous with the eurozone.All member states of the...
(EMU), and on the other hand, European Political Cooperation (EPC), which foreshadow the euro and the Common Foreign and Security Policy
Common Foreign and Security Policy
The Common Foreign and Security Policy is the organised, agreed foreign policy of the European Union for mainly security and defence diplomacy and actions. CFSP deals only with a specific part of the EU's external relations, which domains include mainly Trade and Commercial Policy and other areas...
of the European Union today.
It was also at The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
that France gave up its resistance against the accession of the United Kingdom to the EEC.
Finally, in 1970, the last year of this mandate, Rey managed to win the European governments' support for his proposal to give the Community "own resources".
This meant that the EEC no longer depended exclusively on contributions by the member states, but could complete these with revenues from customs duties, levies on agricultural products from outside the Community, in addition to a share of the VAT revenue.
From 1964 until 1974, Rey was chairman of the board of the College of Europe
College of Europe
The College of Europe is an independent university institute of postgraduate European studies with the main campus in Bruges, Belgium...
in Brugge
Brügge
Brügge is a municipality in the district of Rendsburg-Eckernförde, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.Its small church and market square are noted for their beauty....
.
He presided the over European Movement
European Movement
The European Movement International is a lobbying association that coordinates the efforts of associations and national councils with the goal of promoting European integration, and disseminating information about it.-History:...
from 1974 to 1978 and was member of the Jean Monnet Foundation for Europe
Jean Monnet Foundation for Europe
The Jean Monnet Foundation for Europe is an organisation which supports initiatives dedicated to the construction of European unity. The foundation is inspired by the thinking, methods and actions of Jean Monnet...
.
In 1979, he became member of the first 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...
elected by universal suffrage
Universal suffrage
Universal suffrage consists of the extension of the right to vote to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and non-citizens...
.
Jean Rey also remained active in Belgian politics.
He became the éminence grise of the French-speaking liberals who broke away from the unitary Party for Freedom and Progress
Party for Freedom and Progress
The Party for Freedom and Progress was a liberal party in Belgium which existed from 1961 until 1992 and was the successor of the Liberal Party, which had roots dating back to 1846. It was succeeded in Flanders by the Flemish Liberals and Democrats and in Wallonia by the Parti Réformateur...
to form the Parti Réformateur et Libéral Wallon (PRLW) in 1976.
Jean Rey died in his native city Liège. In the European Quarter
Brussels and the European Union
Brussels is considered to be the de facto capital of the European Union, having a long history of hosting the institutions of the European Union within its European Quarter...
of Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, there is now a square named after him
Jean Rey Square
Jean Rey Square is a square in the European Quarter of Brussels inaugurated in 2001.-Design and location:...
.
Source
- Jean Rey (EU)
- Address given by Jean Rey on the merger of the executive bodies (Strasbourg, 20 September 1967)
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