November 15,
2001
Ambassador Guenter Burghardt,
European Union, Delegation of the European Commission
to the United States, Washington, D.C.
Dr. Guenter Burghardt
has a long and distinguished career in the European
Union Commission. He presented his credentials as
European Union (EU) Ambassador to the President of the
United States on February 3, 2000. Dr.
Burghardt was formerly the Director General for
External Relations under Commissioner Chris Patten in
the new Commission from October 1999. From 1993 to
October 1999 he was Director General for External
Relations covering Europe and the New Independent
States, the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the
External Service under Commissioner Hans van den Broek.
From 1988 to l993 he held the post of Political
Director in the Secretariat General of the Commission
under the direct authority of Commission President
Jacques Delors. From l985 to l988 he was Deputy Head
of Cabinet to President Delors with particular
responsibility for external and development policies,
relations with the European Parliament and Staff
management. He was Deputy Head of Cabinet to
Commissioner Karl-Heinz Narjes who was responsible for
Internal Market, Environment Protection, Nuclear
Safety and Innovation from l981 through l984. From
l972 through 1980 he was desk officer for relations
with the United States, Canada, Australia, development
of the Commission’s external delegations network and
assistant to Director General Sir Roy Denman who later
became Head of Delegation in Washington. He entered
the Commission as a member of the Legal Service in
1970.
Dr. Burghardt speaks German (mother
tongue), French, English, Dutch, and some Italian. He
is married to Rita Byl and has three children.
