BIOGRAPHIES

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Dr. Pieter Omtzigt

PhD, Member Parliamentary Assembly
Council of Europe

Enschede, Netherlands

Dr. Omtzigt has been a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe since 2004. As vice president of the committee on Social Affairs and Health, he initiated research into child abuse in institutions and churches throughout Europe. As rapporteur on the Joint Council of Europe and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development convention on the exchange of tax information, he organized an extra conference in The Hague when negotiations looked as if they were failing. As a result, the convention has entered into force and has been signed by most G8 States. His proposals for freedom of religion in Turkey for Christians have been approved by the assembly. They demand Turkey to stop expropriating Christian monasteries and other possessions, as well as equal rights.

In addition, from June 2003 until June 2010, he served as a member of the lower house of the States-General for the Christian Democratic Party. In that capacity, he served as a spokesman on taxations, public pensions, private pensions, and the new health care system. During that period more than 45 amendments passed on the statute books.

He received his bachelor's degree in 1966 from the University of Exeter and his Ph.D. in 2005 at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy, with a thesis on "Essay on Cointegration."

He has had numbers academic works published as well as being a regular contributor of opinion articles to leading Dutch daily newspapers. He serves as a member of several boards including the Advisory Board of the Dutch Actuarial Institute, the Board of the Twentse World Trade Centre, ambassador of the Popular Music podium Metropool, and as a member of the advisory committee of the Twentse Wensambulance (voluntary ambulance service). In 2008, he received the Prinsjesdagaward Emancipation Award.