Michel Hansenne

Michel Hansenne
Member of the European parliament for Belgium
In office July 20, 1999 – July 19, 2004
Minister of Civil Service in Parliament of Belgium
In office May 1988 – March 1989
Minister of Employment and Labour in Parliament of Belgium
In office December 1981 – May 1988
Minister of French Culture in Parliament of Belgium
In office April 1979 – December 1981
Member of the Parliament of Belgium
In office 1974 – March 1989
Personal details
Born	(1940-03-23) March 23, 1940 Belgium

Michel Hansenne was born on (1940-03-23) March 23, 1940 in Belgium. He studied law and became a labour activist turned Belgium politician. In 1989 he was the first Director-General of the International Labour Organization since the end of the cold war. In 1999 he was elected as a Member of the European Parliament from Belgium a post he held till 2004.

Early life

Michel Hansenne was born on March 23, 1940. At the age of 23, Hansenne obtained a Doctor of Law, subsequently gaining a degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Liège. In 1962, Hansenne began working at the University of Liège as a researcher before beginning his career in politics in 1972.

Belgium politics

In 1974, he became a member of the Parliament of Belgium, becoming Minister for French Culture from 1979–1981, Minister for Employment and Labour from 1981–1988 and Minister for Civil Service from 1988–1989.

ILO and MEP

In 1989, Hansenne was elected the first post-Cold War Director-General of the International Labour Organization. Four years later, in 1993, Hansenne was elected for a second term. In 1997, during his time as Director-General of the ILO, Hansenne called for the certification of countries which adhere to his organisation's labour standards. In 1999, he was elected a Member of the European Parliament representing Belgium, the same year publishing a book, Un garde-fou pour la mondialisation. Le BIT dans l'après-guerre froide. Hansenne's European Parliamentary career was as a member of the Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats).

Whilst a Member of the European Parliament, Hansenne served on the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy and the Delegation for relations with Japan, serving as a substitute on the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism.

Works published

In 1999 he wrote and published the book about the history of the ILO and how he navigated the changing times:

• Hansenne, Michel. Un garde-fou pour la mondialisation: le BIT dans l'après-guerre froide (in French) (1999 ed.). Quorum. ISBN 2-88182-366-1.- Total pages: 151