Othmar Karas

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Othmar Karas, MEP

Othmar Karas (born 24 December 1957, Ybbs) is an MEP from Austrian People's Party - Ursula Stenzel List.

Affiliations

• Member, Committee on Legal Affairs
• Member, Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
• Member, Delegation for relations with Japan
• Substitute, Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection
• Substitute, Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China

Record and Controversies

Declaration of Financial Interests

Professional Activities:

• Member of the European Parliament
• Lecturer, Universität Wien / Political Science

Paid Functions or Activities:

• Member of the supervisory board, Niederösterreich Peace Plant (NÖ-Friedenswerk)

Support Received in Connection with Political Activities:

In terms if staff:

• an employee in the frame of training and further education program of:

• The Austrian Federal Economic Chamber
• The Federation of Austrian Industrialists (Vereinigung Österreichischer Industrieller)

Record of Parliamentary Votes

• Voted in favour of the directive on "establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy" (A5-0027/2000). The directive covers all water management aspects in order to achieve a 'good status' of all waters by 2015.
• Voted against the directive on "national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants" (A5-0063/2000). The amendment allows setting less ambitious national emission ceilings for sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), ammonia (NH3) and volatile organic compounds (VOC), which would result in more damage to human health and the environment.
• Voted in favour of the Commission White Paper on "Strategy for a future Chemicals Policy" (A5-0356/2001). The amendment helps avoid the necessary precautionary approach towards some chemical substances that are not proven to be completely safe.
• Voted against the directive on "waste electrical and electronic equipment" (A5-0100/2002). The amendment sets higher reuse and recycling rates for IT and telecommunication equipment. Rejected due to lack of absolute majority.
• Voted in favour of the report on "Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network" (A5-0135/2002). The Trans-European Network of Transport (TEN-T) is a network of so-called 'transport corridors' through Europe. This amendment calls for a full Strategic Environmental Assessment of these transport corridors and calls on the Commission to improve methods for analysing the environmental and economic impact of the TEN-T.
• Voted against the regulation concerning "traceability and labelling of genetically modified organisms and traceability of food and feed products produced from genetically modified organisms" (A5-0229/2002). The amendment allows customers the right to choose GM free food.
• Voted against the report towards a "thematic strategy on the sustainable use of pesticides" (A5-0061/2003). The amendment proposes to ban or severely restrict use of pesticides in areas around sources of drinking water and nature protected zones.
• Abstained from voting the directive on "environmental liability with regard to the prevention and remedying of environmental damage" (A5-0145/2003). According to the amendment, polluters have to pay for environmental clean-up, and it supports an EU-wide regime which makes polluters liable for the damage they cause to wildlife, water and land.
• Voted in favour of the directive on restructuring the "Community framework for the taxation of energy products and electricity" (A5-0302/2003). The amendment aims at giving tax benefits to environmentally friendly sources of energy, which would make them cheaper and more competitive to conventional (more polluting) sources of energy. It also gives tax benefits to environmentally friendly uses of energy for transport, for instance trains. Rejected due to lack of absolute majority.
• Voted in favour of the amendment on Bulgaria’s progress towards accession (A5-0105/2004). The report objects to extending the life of the nuclear power stations in Bulgaria.

Personal Information

Curriculum Vitae

• Mag. phil. (1996).
• Master of European and International Business Law (MBL), University of St. Gallen (1997).
• Manager in the banking and insurance sector (1981-1995).
• Assistant Secretary-General of Bundesländer Versicherung.
• Federal president of the Union of Students (1976-1979).
• Political adviser to the ÖVP (1979-1980).
• First Vice-Chairman of the Austrian Federal Youth Association (1980-1990).
• Federal Chairman of the Young ÖVP (1981-1990).
• Member of the national executive of the ÖVP (1981-1991).
• Secretary-General of the ÖVP (1995-1999).
• President of the Austrian Aid Organisation (since 1998).
• First Vice-President of Hilfswerk Austria (since 1998).
• Vice-President of the Young European Christian-Democrats (EUJCD) (1981-1990).
• Member of the EPP Bureau and Council (since 1995).
• Member of the steering committee of the European Democratic Union (EDU) (since 1995).
• Member of the board of the Austrian Association of Graduates.
• Member of the Land and federal executives of the Austrian Workers' and Employees' Association (ÖAAB).
• Member of the Nationalrat (1983-1990).
• Member of the European Parliament (since 1999).
• Vice-President of the Political Academy.
• Vice-President of the Friedrich Funder Institute.

Contact

Address:

Parlement européen

Bât. Altiero Spinelli

09E258

60, rue Wiertz / Wiertzstraat 60

B-1047 Bruxelles/Brussel

Phone:

+32 (0)2 28 45627

Fax

+32 (0)2 28 49627

Email:

othmar.karas@europarl.europa.eu

Website:

http://www.othmar-karas.at

Resources

• European Parliament, Erklärung der finanziellen Interessen der Mitglieder: Othmar Karas, 10 December 2008, accessed 25 April 2009.
• European Parliament, MEP Directory: Othmar Karas, accessed 25 April 2009.
• Friends of the Earth, EU Vote Watch, accessed 25 April 2009.