Born in 1958. Economics degree, Vilnius University, 1980. Ph.D. in Social Sciences, 1986. Scholar at Research Institute of Agricultural Economics, 1980-1989. Member of the Lithuanian Popular Movement 'Sąjūdis' (1988-1993), Member of the Lithuanian Supreme Council - Reconstituent Seimas (Parliament), Signatory of the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania. Member of Parliament (1990-2000). Minister of Trade and Industry, 1996. Minister of European Affairs, 1996-1998. Associate Professor, Department of Political Science; Director of Institute of EU Policy and Management at the University of Law, from 2002. Dean of the Faculty of Public Administration at the University of Law, from 2003. Honors: Independence Medal of the Republic of Lithuania (2000), Medal of the Baltic Assembly (2003), Cross of Commander of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas (2004), etc. Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the French Republic (1997). MEP from 2004 to 2014 and since June 2016.