EUABC A dictionary on words related to the EU

Santer, Jacques (1937 - )

: Jacques Santer (Photo: EP)

As Prime Minister of Luxembourg (1984-1995), Jacques Santer led the negotiations on the Single European Act, which effectively set aside the 20-year old Luxembourg Compromise.

Santer subsequently became President of the EU Commission when the UK vetoed the nomination of the Belgian Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene, preferring the similarly, federalist but supposedly weaker, Santer. He and the rest of his Commission resigned on 15^th March 1999 following an investigation into administrative failings (incompetence and malpractice) by an independent group of experts. The report stated that they had not found a single person showing the slightest sense of responsibility.

Since 1999, Santer has been a Christian Democratic member of the EU Parliament. EPP.

Links

See also Censure, Andreasen and Buitenen.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/297643.stm