OUR FACILITATOR

Pavel Telička was born in Washington D.C. on 24 August 1965 to a family of Czech diplomats. He married his wife Eva in 1990. Their son Jakub was born in 1992 and their daughter Katerina 6 years later.

In 1986, Pavel Telička graduated from the Law Faculty at the Charles University in Prague.

His professional career started in September 1986 in the public international law unit of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of former Czechoslovakia. In 1988, he changed to the unit dealing with private international law and after two years became an adviser within the delegation negotiating the Europe Agreement. Since this time, Pavel Telička has mainly devoted his career to European integration.

Between 1991-1995 he held different positions at the Czechoslovak - and then Czech - Missions to the European Union in Brussels, including Deputy Head and Head of Mission ad interim.

In 1995, he became Director of the European Communities Department, and the following year Director General of the Integration Section (EU, NATO, UN), at the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In January 1998, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and shortly after Chief Negotiator for the accession of the Czech Republic to the European Union. In October 1999 he was promoted to First Deputy Minister and State Secretary for European Affairs.

Only a couple of days after the conclusion of the accession negotiations in Copenhagen in December 2002 he returned to Brussels to take up the post of Ambassador and Head of Permanent Mission of the Czech Republic to the European Communities.

In February 2004, he was nominated by the Czech Government for the post of Commissioner until 2009. For the first six months starting May 2004 he is associated with Commissioner David Byrne responsible for the portfolio of health and consumer protection.

Pavel Telička has been an active speaker at various symposiums, conferences and panel discussions. During 1999 - 2002 he gave lectures at the Faculty of Social Sciences at the Charles University on European economic integration and topical issues of European integration. In 2003, he published together with Czech journalist Karel Barták, a book entitled "How we entered." describing in a form of dialogue various aspects of the negotiating process with the EU.

He has been member of supervisory board of the Tomás Bata Foundation since 1997. During the years of 1999-2003 he was honorary member of the managing board of the National Training Fund. In 2001, he became honorary member of the Centre of Good Will, where he has been personally involved in a charity project called "Signed by heart" supporting disabled children.

In 2003, he was awarded by President Václav Havel the commemorative Medal for contribution to the integration of the Czech Republic into the European Union and the same year the commemorative Medal of King Jiríz Podebrad for fostering peace, security and development of mutual understanding among European nations.

Pavel Telička is a keen sportsman. He likes to play rugby and squash and also devotes his free time to fitness, cross-country skiing, biking and roller-skating. Furthermore, he is fond of music, travelling and driving.

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