David O'Sullivan (civil servant) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David O'Sullivan
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| Ambassador of the European Union to the United States | |
| In office 1 November 2014 – 4 March 2019 |
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| President | Jean-Claude Juncker |
| Preceded by | João Vale de Almeida |
| Succeeded by | Stavros Lambrinidis |
| Chief Operating Officer of the EEAS | |
| In office 1 December 2010 – 31 October 2014 |
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| Preceded by | New office |
| Succeeded by | Helga Schmid |
| Director-General of DG RELEX | |
| In office 28 October 2010 – 1 December 2010 |
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| President | José Manuel Barroso |
| Preceded by | João Vale de Almeida |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Director-General of DG Trade | |
| In office 10 November 2005 – 28 October 2010 |
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| President | José Manuel Barroso |
| Preceded by | Peter Carl |
| Succeeded by | Jean-Luc Demarty |
| Secretary General of the European Commission | |
| In office 1 June 2000 – 10 November 2005 |
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| President | Romano Prodi José Manuel Barroso |
| Preceded by | Carlo Trojan |
| Succeeded by | Catherine Day |
| EU Sanctions Envoy | |
| Assumed office January 2023 |
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| Preceded by | New office |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 March 1953 Dublin, Ireland |
| Political party | Independent |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | St Mary's College, Dublin |
| Alma mater | |
David O'Sullivan was born on March 1, 1953. He is an important European official. Since January 2023, he has been working as the EU Sanctions Envoy. This means he helps make sure that rules about stopping trade or other activities with certain countries are followed.
Before this, he held many high-level jobs in the European Union (EU). He was the EU Ambassador to the United States from 2014 to 2019. He also helped set up and manage the European External Action Service (EEAS), which is like the EU's diplomatic service. He worked as the Secretary-General of the European Commission, which is a very senior role, from 2000 to 2005. He also led the EU's trade department.
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Early Life and Education
David O'Sullivan was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1953. He is married and has two children. He can speak many languages, including English, French, Spanish, German, Irish, and Japanese. His father, Gerald O’Sullivan, was a top leader in the Irish Defence Forces. David also lived in California for a while when he was a child.
He went to St. Mary's College in Dublin. Later, he studied Economics and Sociology at Trinity College Dublin, graduating in 1975. After that, he went to the College of Europe in Belgium. There, he earned a special diploma in European Studies. Before joining the European Commission, he worked for the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs. While at Trinity College, he was a top debater and won awards for his speaking skills.
Working for the European Commission
David O'Sullivan started working for the European Commission in 1979. The European Commission is like the EU's government, proposing laws and managing policies. He held many different jobs there:
- He worked in the department that handles the EU's relationships with other countries.
- He was a First Secretary for the EU in Japan.
- He worked closely with different European Commissioners, who are like ministers in the EU. He helped them with social issues and relations with the European Parliament.
- He led a team focused on education, youth, and training.
- He managed resources for the department dealing with employment.
- He was the Director General for Education and Culture.
Leading Roles in the EU
In 1999, David O'Sullivan became the head of President Romano Prodi's team. A year later, in 2000, he became the Secretary-General of the European Commission. This is a very important job, as the Secretary-General helps manage all the daily work of the European Commission.
From 2005 to 2010, he was the Director General for Trade. In this role, he was the main negotiator for important global trade talks, like the Doha Development Round. He also helped start many trade agreements between the EU and other countries. For example, he helped finish the trade agreement with South Korea. He also oversaw rules that protect EU businesses from unfair trade practices.
In 2010, he was given the job of Director-General for External Relations. His main task was to prepare for the launch of a new diplomatic service for the EU.
European External Action Service (EEAS)
On January 1, 2011, the European External Action Service (EEAS) officially started. This is the EU's own diplomatic service, which helps the EU work with countries around the world. David O'Sullivan became its Chief Operating Officer. He played a big part in setting up this new service.
In the EEAS, he was also in charge of the EU's relationships with many parts of the world. This included Asia (like China, India, Japan, and South Korea), other European countries (like Russia and Switzerland), and Africa.
In November 2014, David O'Sullivan was chosen to be the Ambassador of the European Union to the United States. He moved to Washington, D.C., and officially started his job. He met President Barack Obama at the White House on November 18, 2014.
Honours and Awards
David O'Sullivan has received several awards for his work:
- He is a Vice-President of the College Historical Society (Trinity College, Dublin).
- In 1999, he was named "European of the Year" by the European Movement Ireland.
- He received an Honorary Doctorate from the Dublin Institute of Technology in 2005.
- In 2013, he was recognized as the "Alumnus of the Year" by the College of Europe.
- He received the EU Transatlantic Business Award in June 2014.
- In December 2014, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Trinity College Dublin.
