Born in 1946. Bielefeld (North Rhine-Westphalia). Studied at the Centre of European Governmental Studies (Edinburgh University). Journalist. Member of regional executive, North Rhine-Westphalia CDU. Chairman of the CDU federal committee on foreign policy. Former federal Vice-Chairman of Junge Union, Germany. District Chairman. Vice-Chairman of the International Democratic Union (IDU). Vice-Chairman of EUCDW. Former coordinator, Social Affairs Committee and special committees on «German unification» and «Drugs». Member of the European Convention in the European Parliament. Observer both the at Amsterdam and Nice IGC’s. Chairman of EPP Convention Group. Official European Parliament observer, Intergovernmental conference on the EU Constitution (2003/2004). President of the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the EP (1999-2007). Member of the Political Bureau of the EPP Group and of the Presidency of the EPP Party. EPP-spokesman on foreign affairs; Chairman of USA delegation. MEP since 1980.