James Elles

File:James Elles.jpg

James Elles, MEP

James Elles (born 03 September 1949, London) is a British MEP for South East from Conservative and Unionist Party.

Affiliations

• Member, Committee on Budgets
• Member, Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee
• Substitute, Delegation for relations with the Arab Peninsula
• Substitute, Delegation for relations with the United States

Former Affiliations

• Member, Committee on Budgetary Control
• Member, Committee on Budgets
• Member, Delegation to the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly
• Substitute, Committee on Foreign Affairs
• Substitute, Delegation for relations with the United States

Record and Controversies

Declaration of Financial Interests

Former Declaration of Financial Interests

• I serve as Chairman of the Programming Committee of the Transatlantic Policy Network (TPN) and as Vice-Governor on the board of the European Internet Foundation (EIF). These are voluntary roles without financial remuneration. Should parliamentary resources not be available, I accept reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses including travel (economy only) to support these activities. I do not accept honorarium or payments of any other kind.
• I receive a free SNCB rail pass which gives free travel on Belgium rail as well as discounted travel on selected international routes.
• I employ two full-time assistants in Brussels. I also have six service provider contracts, four in the UK and two in Brussels. I do not employ family members.

Record of Parliamentary Votes

• Voted against the directive on "establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy" (A5-0027/2000). The directive covers all water management aspects in order to achieve a 'good status' of all waters by 2015.
• Voted in favour of the directive on "national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants" (A5-0063/2000). The amendment allows setting less ambitious national emission ceilings for sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), ammonia (NH3) and volatile organic compounds (VOC), which would result in more damage to human health and the environment.
• Voted in favour of the Commission White Paper on "Strategy for a future Chemicals Policy" (A5-0356/2001). The amendment helps avoid the necessary precautionary approach towards some chemical substances that are not proven to be completely safe.
• Voted against the directive on "waste electrical and electronic equipment" (A5-0100/2002). The amendment sets higher reuse and recycling rates for IT and telecommunication equipment. Rejected due to lack of absolute majority.
• Voted in favour of the report on "Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network" (A5-0135/2002). The Trans-European Network of Transport (TEN-T) is a network of so-called 'transport corridors' through Europe. This amendment calls for a full Strategic Environmental Assessment of these transport corridors and calls on the Commission to improve methods for analysing the environmental and economic impact of the TEN-T.
• Voted against the regulation concerning "traceability and labelling of genetically modified organisms and traceability of food and feed products produced from genetically modified organisms" (A5-0229/2002). The amendment allows customers the right to choose GM free food.
• Voted against the directive on "environmental liability with regard to the prevention and remedying of environmental damage" (A5-0145/2003). According to the amendment, polluters have to pay for environmental clean-up, and it supports an EU-wide regime which makes polluters liable for the damage they cause to wildlife, water and land.
• Voted against the directive on restructuring the "Community framework for the taxation of energy products and electricity" (A5-0302/2003). The amendment aims at giving tax benefits to environmentally friendly sources of energy, which would make them cheaper and more competitive to conventional (more polluting) sources of energy. It also gives tax benefits to environmentally friendly uses of energy for transport, for instance trains. Rejected due to lack of absolute majority.
• Voted against the amendment on Bulgaria’s progress towards accession (A5-0105/2004). The report objects to extending the life of the nuclear power stations in Bulgaria.

Personal Information

Curriculum Vitae

• A graduate of Edinburgh University. Joined the EC Commission in 1976; assistant to the Deputy Director-General for Agriculture in charge of agricultural markets (1980-1983).
• Member of the European Parliament (since 1984).
• Budget spokesman for the EPP-ED Group (1994-1999).
• Rapporteur on European Union Budget 1996.
• Vice-Chairman of the EPP-ED Group (since 1999).
• Chairman of the Group's working party covering budgets, budget control, agriculture and rural development, and fisheries.
• Founder of the Transatlantic Policy Network (TPN).
• Co-founder of the European Internet Foundation (EIF).
• Co-founder of the All-Party Group on Kashmir and a founder of the European Union Baroque Orchestra (EUBO).

Contact

Address:

Parlement européen

Bât. Willy Brandt

04M091

60, rue Wiertz / Wiertzstraat 60

B-1047 Bruxelles/Brussel

Phone:

+32 (0)2 28 45951

Fax:

+32 (0)2 28 49951

Email:

james.elles AT europarl.europa.eu

Website:

http://www.jameselles.com

Resources

• European Parliament, Declaration of Members' Financial Interests: James Elles, 19 January 2009, accessed 08 February 2009.
• European Parliament, MEP Directory: James Elles, accessed 08 February 2009.
• Friends of the Earth, EU Vote Watch, accessed 07 February 2009.