Pavel Telička MEP |
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European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection | |
In office 1 May 2004 – 22 November 2004 |
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President | Romano Prodi |
Preceded by | David Byrne |
Succeeded by | Markos Kyprianou |
Member of the European Parliament for Czech Republic | |
Assumed office 1 July 2014 |
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Personal details | |
Born |
Washington, D.C., U.S. |
21 August 1965
Political party | ANO 2011 (2014—present) |
Other political affiliations |
KSČ (in 1980s) |
Spouse(s) | Eva Teličková |
Children | son Jakub and daughter Kateřina |
Alma mater | Charles University |
Pavel Telička (born 21 August 1965) is a Czech lobbyist and politician who serves as the Member of European Parliament for Czech Republic since 2014 and as the Vice President of the European Parliament since 2017.
Born in Washington, D.C. as the son of a communist diplomat. After his graduation from the Faculty of Law, Charles University in Prague, in 1986, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Czechoslovakia. In the following years, he held various positions in the Czechoslovak – later Czech – ministry, including the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and in the Czech Mission to the European Union (EU) in Brussels. From 1998 onwards, he served as Chief Negotiator for the accession of the Czech Republic to the European Union.
In February 2004 Czech government nominated Miloš Kužvart, the former Czech Environment Minister, as a candidate for the EU commissioner. Kužvart, however, was allegedly not able to communicate in any foreign language, although he does in fact speak English, and allegedly lacked insight into EU affairs. He stepped down in a dramatic way after his first candidate visit in Brussels. Under time pressure the government nominated Telička.
When the Czech Republic entered the EU on 1 May 2004 Telička became EU commissioner in the Prodi Commission. He shared the portfolio of Health and Consumer Protection with David Byrne. He held this post only until November 2004; he did not continue in the following Barroso Commission due to a Czech government crisis in summer 2004. He was succeeded as the Czech commissioner by Vladimír Špidla, the former Czech Prime Minister who resigned during the crisis.