Karl Falkenberg (economist)

Karl Falkenberg

Karl Friedrich Falkenberg (* 1952 in Bonn ) is a German economist . He has been special advisor on sustainable development at the European Center for Political Strategy (EPSC) since September 1, 2015. Since 2009, he previously headed the General Directorate Environment of the EU Commission as Director General .

Falkenberg was born in Bonn, but grew up in Brussels, where his father worked for the Commission. Falkenberg attended the European School in Uccle . From 1970 to 1972 he studied economics and journalism at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz and then until 1976 at the Westphalian Wilhelms University in Münster . Falkenberg originally wanted to become a journalist, but decided against it after what he saw as an “extremely boring” internship at a German newspaper.

In 1977 Falkenberg began his career at the EU Commission and took on various negotiating positions in the field of international trade . He has represented the EU Commission in the GATT negotiations since 1985 . In 1997 he became coordinator for all WTO issues, in 2001 director for sectoral trade issues and bilateral trade relations with North America, Japan, the Mediterranean countries and the ACP group , and in 2002 director for free trade agreements, agricultural trade issues, and ACP countries. From 2005 to 2008, Falkenberg coordinated the EU's bilateral trade policy and the negotiations of free trade agreements with third countries as Deputy Director General . In January 2009 he took over the post of Director General of the Directorate General for the Environment.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ New Director General for DG Environment of the EU Commission, notification of June 25, 2015
2. ↑ ^{a b} Jennifer Rankin: Energetic negotiator. European Voice , February 26, 2009.
3. ↑ Brief description at the EU Commission. (PDF; 7 kB)