Born in 1945. Wallenhorst/Land Osnabrück (Lower Saxony). Only Member of the EP who serves continously since the 1st direct election in '79. President of the EP '07-'09, Chairman of the EPP group in the EP '99-'07, before Vice-Chairman '94-'99. Studies of Law, Political Science and History at the universities of Bonn and Geneva. Study at Columbia University in New York, Doctorate '74. Second state law exam '76. Research Assistant '76-'79. Appointed Lecturer at the University of Osnabrueck '89. Appointed honorary professor '95. Member of the Federal Executive Committee of the CDU in Germany '99-'09, since July '09 coopted into the Federal Executive Board. Member of the Executive Committee of the EPP until '09. Chairman of the CDU in the district of Osnabrueck since '90.Chairman of the CDU in the district of Osnabrück '90-'10.Co-founder of the "European Charlemagne Youth Prize".President of the Europa-Union Deutschland '97-'99. Chaiman of the Konrad-Adenaur-Stiftung. MEP since1979.