Jean Rey (politician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids His Excellency Jean Rey
Rey in 1966
President of the European Commission
In office 2 July 1967 – 30 June 1970
Vice President	Sicco Mansholt
Preceded by	Walter Hallstein
Succeeded by	Franco Maria Malfatti
European Commissioner for External Relations
In office 7 January 1958 – 2 July 1967
President	Walter Hallstein
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Edoardo Martino
Personal details
Born	Jean Philpe Rey (1902-07-15)15 July 1902 Liège, Belgium
Died	19 May 1983(1983-05-19) (aged 80) Liège, Belgium
Resting place	Brussels Cemetery, Evere, Brussels, Belgium
Political party	Liberal Reformist Party (1971–)
Other political affiliations	Party for Freedom and Progress (Before 1971)
Alma mater	University of Liège

Jean Rey (born 15 July 1902 – died 19 May 1983) was an important Belgian politician. He was the second President of the European Commission from 1967 to 1970. Before that, he worked as the European Commissioner for External Relations from 1958 to 1967. The College of Europe even named its 1983–1984 school year after him to honor his work.

Early Life and Education

Jean Rey was born in Liège, Belgium. His family was Protestant. He studied law at the University of Liège and earned his PhD in 1926. After finishing his studies, he started working as a lawyer in Liège.

Getting Involved in Politics

Jean Rey was very interested in the Walloon Movement. This movement worked to protect the culture and rights of French-speaking people in Belgium. His interest in this movement led him to join the Liberal Party. In 1935, he was elected as a city councilor in Liège. A few years later, in 1939, he became a member of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives.

During World War II

During World War II, Jean Rey strongly disagreed with Belgium's "policy of independence." This policy meant Belgium tried to stay neutral during the war. He was called to serve in the army in 1940. He fought during the Battle of Belgium. German forces captured him, and he spent the rest of the war as a prisoner. He was held in a prison camp called Oflag XD in Germany.

After World War II: A New Path

After the war, Jean Rey became a strong supporter of making Belgium a federal state. This meant dividing Belgium into different regions with their own governments. In 1947, he and five other members of Parliament suggested a law to create a federal state. This new plan would have made Belgium a Confederation with two main States: Flanders and Wallonia, plus a federal region for Brussels. However, most members of the Belgian Parliament did not agree with this idea.

Key Government Roles

Jean Rey held important positions in the Belgian government. He was the Minister of Reconstruction from 1949 to 1950. Then, he served as the Minister of Economy from 1954 to 1958. In these roles, he helped set up the early European Coal and Steel Community. He also took part in talks that created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC). These groups were the first steps towards the European Union we know today.

Leading European Integration

From 1958 to 1967, Jean Rey was a member of the Hallstein Commission. This was the first European Commission. He was in charge of external relations, meaning he handled Europe's dealings with other countries. He played a big part in the Kennedy Round talks (1964–1967). These talks helped reduce trade barriers between countries.

In 1967, Jean Rey became the President of the European Commission. He was the first president after the three main European communities (Coal and Steel, Economic, and Atomic Energy) merged into one.

Strengthening European Institutions

As president, Jean Rey worked to make the European institutions stronger. He believed in a more united Europe.

• He helped the European Parliament gain more power.
• He pushed for people to directly elect members of the European Parliament.

During his time as president, the customs union was completed in 1968. This meant that goods could move freely between member countries without extra taxes or checks at borders.

Important Decisions at The Hague

Jean Rey also played a key role at the Summit of The Hague in 1969. At this meeting, European leaders decided to move forward with European integration. They started two new big projects:

• The idea of an Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union (EMU), which later led to the euro currency.
• European Political Cooperation (EPC), which was the start of the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union.

It was also at The Hague that France agreed to let the United Kingdom join the EEC.

Financial Independence for Europe

In 1970, his last year as president, Jean Rey convinced European governments to give the Community "own resources." This meant the EEC would not only rely on money from member countries. It could also get money from customs duties, taxes on farm products from outside Europe, and a share of VAT (sales tax) revenue. This made the European Community more financially independent.

Later Career and Legacy

Jean Rey continued to be active in European affairs. He was the chairman of the board for the College of Europe in Bruges from 1964 to 1974. He also led the European Movement from 1974 to 1978. In 1979, he became a member of the first European Parliament that was directly elected by people.

He also stayed involved in Belgian politics. He helped form the French-speaking liberal party, the Parti Réformateur et Libéral Wallon (PRLW), in 1976.

Jean Rey passed away in his hometown of Liège. Today, there is a square named after him in the European Quarter of Brussels. A street in Paris also carries his name.

Sources

• Jean Rey (EU)
• Address given by Jean Rey on the merger of the executive bodies (Strasbourg, 20 September 1967)

See also

In Spanish: Jean Rey (político) para niños