European Commissioner for Energy, Andris Piebalgs, visits Ukraine 27-29 April 2005

April 26, 2005.

    *** The European Commissioner for Energy, Andris Piebalgs, will visit Kyiv, Ukraine, from 27-29 April 2005. With a view to discuss the EU-Ukraine energy cooperation, he will hold meetings with the Minister of Fuel and Energy, Ivan Plachkov; the Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, O. Rybachuk; the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee for Energy and Nuclear Safety, Andryi Klyev; and other Ukrainian stakeholders in the Energy sector. During the visit it is planned to sign the Agreement between the European Atomic Energy Community and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine for cooperation in the peaceful uses of Nuclear Energy.
    After the signature of the Euratom Agreement a joint briefing for the press will take place in the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. For more information please contact the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
    The Commissioner will debrief media representatives on the results of his visit at 18:00 in the Delegation of the European Commission, Kruhlo-Universitetska 10. For accreditation please contact Iryna Stadniychuk Tel: 462 00 10.
    For more information please contact Anje Schubert, Press Officer at the EC Delegation in Kyiv (anje.schubert@cec.eu.int) or http://europa.eu.int/comm/energy/index_en.html
    Commissioner’s biography
    Andris Piebalgs took up the post of Energy Commissioner in November 2004. Since the EU enlargement on 1st of May 2004, when the Commissioners of the new Member States came into the European Commission, he was heading the Cabinet of Latvian Commissioner Mrs. Sandra Kalniete. Andris Piebalgs started his diplomatic career in 1995 when he became the ambassador of Latvia in Estonia. During five years – between 1998 and 2003 – he was the Ambassador of Latvia to the European Union, later – Undersecretary of State for EU affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia. Six years of his career Andris Piebalgs has spent being active in Latvian politics. From 1988 till 1990 he was Minister of Education, between 1990 and 1993 he was chairing the Budget and finance committee of the Parliament of Latvia (Saeima). In 1993 Andris Piebalgs became Finance minister of Latvia and held this post for two years.