Janus: The Papers of Neil Kinnock

Churchill/KNNK contains:
<-- See earlier
16	Speeches and articles
17	Broadcasts and interviews
18	Press cuttings
19	Visits and meetings
20	Constituency
21	European Commission
22	Private Office
23	Diaries and schedules
24	Literary
25	Photographs
26	Audio-visual
See later -->

More information

Please feel free to contact the repository.

The Papers of Neil Kinnock

Title	European Commission
Reference	KNNK 21
Covering Dates	1994–2004
Extent and Medium	13.5 archive boxes

Content and context

Includes: correspondence and arrangements on NK's appointment to the Commission and move to Brussels [Belgium]; Transport Committee papers; speeches, press material and other papers on European transport issues; papers and correspondence on allegations of fraud against the Commission, and on the Commission's subsequent resignation.

Further information

See also European Commission correspondence at KNNK 1/4-8, speeches at KNNK 16, interviews at KNNK 17 and NK's visits as a European Commissioner, KNNK 19/5-6.

Index Terms

European Administration

Transport

Churchill/KNNK 21 contains:

Short biographies of NK and Glenys Kinnock.
1 file.

Apr 1994

Arrangements for move to Brussels [Belgium].
1 file.

Nov 1994-Dec 1994

Correspondence on move to European Commission. Correspondents include: Kevin Barron; Tony Blair, leader of the Labour Party, giving a statement on NK's appointment; Sir Leon Brittan, Vice-President of the Commission, on NK's appointment and his own decision to stay on (2); Sir Robin Butler, Cabinet Secretary; Robin Corbett; Brigitte Ederer, Austrian Minister of State for European Integration and Development Cooperation; Geoffrey Fitchew, Cabinet Office European Secretariat; Stuart Holland; John Major, Prime Minister, confirming NK's nomination as a member of the European Commission; Lord Merlyn-Rees; Jacques Santer, President of the Commission, on the Spokesman's Service; Paul Twyman; Owen Barder, Private Secretary to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Also includes: text of a speech drafted by Stuart Holland for NK on investing in Europe; a list of his possible staff; an article on NK's life (see also KNNK 17/1) and text of a speech by NK to the European Socialist group in 1983.
1 file.

Jun 1994-Jan 1995

Letters of congratulation on becoming a European Commissioner. Correspondents include: Donald Anderson; Lord Ashley; David Blunkett; Betty Boothroyd; [David] Keith Brookman, General Secretary of the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation; Lord Callaghan; Swraj Paul; David Clark; Jack Cunningham; Wayne David, Leader of the European Parliamentary Labour Party; Lord Desai; Derek Foster, Opposition Chief Whip; Paul Gambaccini; Baroness Gould; Lord Weatherill; 3rd Lord Grenfell; Terry Hands; Robert Harris; Peter Hennessy; George Howarth; Marmaduke Hussey, Chairman of the BBC; Gerald Isaaman; Glenda Jackson; Lord Judd; Sir John Kerr, British Ambassador to the European Union; Peter Luff, Assistant Secretary-General of the International European Movement; Peter Mandelson; Ian McCartney; Douglas McClelland; "Mo" [Marjorie] Mowlam; Stuart Randall; Roger Pincham; Lord Rix; George Robertson; Laxmi Singhvi, Indian High Commissioner to Britain; Sir Cyril Smith; Lord Tonypandy; Lord Tugendhat; [David] Garfield Davies, General Secretary of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW); Keith Vaz; Martin Westlake; Baroness Williams; David Williamson, Secretary-General, European Commission.
1 file.

Jun 1994-Oct 1994

European Publishers Council. Correspondence between Sir Frank Rogers, Chairman of the European Publishers Council and Jacques Delors, President of the European Commission, on revision of the European broadcasting directive. Also includes reports on the emergence of multimedia industry in Europe and on media regulation in Britain.
1 file.

Dec 1991-Nov 1994

EEC and Labour Party briefing papers and other printed reports. Includes copy of NK's Brandon Rhys Williams Memorial Lecture, "Design for Europe" and papers on transport issues.
1 file.

Nov 1994-Dec 1994

European Commission papers. Subjects include: the Transport Committee; the 1996 intergovernmental conferences; the Channel Tunnel rail link; transport priorities of the French presidency, particularly on aviation; outline for a book on European waterways; ground handling at airports; the preparation of legislation; agricultural policy. Also includes a copy of NK's appointment diary for 1995.
2 files.

Nov 1994-Jan 1995

Meetings and diary dates. Briefings for and notes of meetings, including: a meeting of the European Parliament Transport Committee; a meeting with Barry Seal on the European Regeneration Fund; a meeting with the Information Society and Audiovisual Group; a meeting on the Intergovernmental Conferences on political and monetary union; a meeting with Joe Bossano, Chief Minister of Gibraltar. Correspondents on various visits and meetings include: Lord Jenkins of Hillhead; Elizabeth Smith, thanking NK for his sympathy on the death of John Smith; Joan Lestor, Shadow Minister for Overseas Development; Kevin McNamara; Hugh Bayley; Adam Ingram.
1 file.

Nov 1994-May 1995

Transport speeches. Includes: annotated copy of a lecture by NK for S J Berwin and Company on transport priorities for Europe; annotated copy of NK's Lothian lecture on trans-European networks; speaking note on ferry safety following the sinking of the Estonia; speech to the Confederation of British Industry North West 2000 conference; speech at the launch of the Thames Gateway Partnership; draft speech on the results of the Transport Council meeting, Dec 1995; speech to the Royal Institute of International Affairs on European enlargement into Eastern Europe. . Also includes some correspondence, including a letter from Esther Rantzen, Chairman of Childline, asking NK for a Christmas story, and letters between NK, Charles Clarke and Peter Mandelson on an article in the Sunday Times on Mandelson.
1 file.

Mar 1995-Jan 1996

Press. Press cuttings, with some speeches and correspondence, on transport issues and Europe in general. Also includes: correspondence with Peter Mandelson on an idea for an education and training trust for Labour Party members; correspondence on an interview with NK for a programme on the history of the post-1979 Labour Party; speech notes by NK on New Labour; correspondence with Swraj Paul.
1 file.

Mar 1995-Nov 1995

Press. Press cuttings and press releases on transport issues and Europe in general, particularly the single currency and monetary union.
1 file.

Oct 1995-Dec 1995

Press. Press cuttings, statements, articles, interviews and correspondence on transport issues and Europe in general. Includes correspondence on a libel case against the Daily Express, for describing NK as a "Quisling".
1 file.

Jan 1996-Jun 1996

Press. Press cuttings, statements, articles and interviews and correspondence on transport issues and Europe in general. Includes a letter from Charles Clarke, former head of NK's office, to Lord Merlyn-Rees on the funding of NK's office, 1987-92.
1 file.

Jul 1996-Dec 1996

Press cuttings on Europe.
1 file.

Dec 1994-Mar 1996

Sinking of MV Derbyshire. Includes: briefings for meetings with the Derbyshire Family Association; the assessors' report into the sinking; correspondence with individuals including John Prescott, Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, Mark Watts, European Parliament transport spokesman and Glenda Jackson, Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department of the Environment; background information.
1 file.

Aug 1997-Feb 1998

Meeting with Stavros Soumakis. Briefing for NK's meeting with the Greek Minister for the Merchant Marine on the employment of European seamen and the registration of ships in Greece.
1 file.

Feb 1998

European Parliament Transport Committee. Includes drafts of speeches by NK to the Transport Committee (mainly on Greece's Olympic Airways), replies to questions in the European Parliament and a draft agreement on the organisation of working time in the maritime sector.
1 file.

Jan 1998-Jul 1998

Visit to Essen, Germany. Schedule, briefings and notes for NK's opening of a traffic control centre.
1 file.

Jul 1998

European Parliament Transport Committee: agenda 2000. Includes speech notes on infrastructure charging, briefings and rough notes of the meeting.
1 file.

Sep 1998

Motion of censure. File relating to the motion of censure on the European Commission and on allegations of fraud, including: press cuttings; correspondence with Julie de Groote (member of the Cabinet of Jacques Santer, President of the Commission) and Santer; text of speech by Pauline Green, leader of the European Socialists; note on the organisation of the task force co-ordinating action against fraud; rough notes on dealing with the motion; transcript of interviews given by Paul Van Buitenen on his allegations; minutes of a sitting of the European Parliament, Dec 1988; briefings for meetings; text of speech by Santer to Parliament, Jan 1995.
1 file.

Jan 1995-Jan 1999

Programme for transparency, efficiency and sound financial management. Includes: drafts of the programme, submitted by the Party of European Socialists, with related correspondence with Heinz Fischer, Vice-President of the Party of European Socialists and Viktor Klima; statements by NK on the resignation of the European Commission; papers on the European Parliament resolution on the resignation; summary of reform of the Commission.
1 file.

Jan 1999-Feb 1999

Reports on the financial management of the European Union and reform of the European Commission.
1 file.

Jan 1999-Mar 1999

Working papers relating to the resignation of the European Commission. Rough notes, statements and correspondence on the resignation, with correspondents including Pauline Green, leader of the European Socialists.
1 file.

Mar 1999

Sprout, Private Eye. Correspondence and papers on a libel case brought by NK against the Belgian magazine "The Sprout" and Private Eye magazine in connection with an enquiry into the use of European Social Fund money by Camden Borough Council in the 1990s.
2 files.

Sep 2002-Apr 2004

Paul van Buitenen. Correspondence and papers on allegations by Van Buitenen, a member of the European Commission's financial control unit, of fraud within the Commission.
3 files.

Sep 1999-Feb 2004

Paul van Buitenen. Correspondence and papers on allegations by Van Buitenen, a member of the European Commission's financial control unit, of fraud within the Commission.
1 file.

Oct 2001-Feb 2002

Eurostat. Papers and correspondence on alleged fraud and financial irregularities within Eurostat [the statistical office of the European Union].
2 files.

May 1999-Aug 2003

COCOBU. Papers from a meeting of the European Commission's Budgetary Control Committee on alleged fraud and financial irregularities within Eurostat [the statistical office of the European Union].
1 file.

17 Jun 2003

Eurostat. Papers and correspondence on alleged fraud and financial irregularities within Eurostat [the statistical office of the European Union].
2 files.

Sep 2003

Eurostat. Papers and correspondence on alleged fraud and financial irregularities within Eurostat [the statistical office of the European Union].
1 file.

Oct 2003

Marta Andreassen. Correspondence and papers on the dismissal of Andreassen, European Commission Budget Execution Director and Accounting Officer, for making allegations of fraud within the Commission. Mainly relates to press coverage, but also includes some correspondence with David Davis.
3 files.

Mar 2002-Jul 2004

Aug 2002-Apr 2004

Marta Andreassen. Copy of the ruling by the European Court on the dismissal of Andreassen, European Commission Budget Execution Director and Accounting Officer, for making allegations of fraud within the Commission.
1 file.

Nov 2007

Cresson. Papers on allegations of nepotism concerning Edith Cresson, former European Commissioner. Also includes copies from the Belgian magazine "The Sprout" on NK and alleged fraud and financial irregularities within the Commission, particularly Eurostat [the statistical office of the European Union].
2 files.

Jan 2003-Jun 2004

News of the World. Papers and correspondence arising from an article about NK in the News of the World, relating to NK's and Glenys Kinnock's salaries. Includes earlier European Commission papers on members' salaries and expenses.
1 file.

Jun 2003

Titford. Papers and correspondence on a libel case taken out by NK following an article in the Sunday Express reporting alleged statements by Jeffrey Titford MEP about attempts by NK to block the disclosure of fraud and financial incompetence within the European Commission.
1 file.

Mar 2002-Aug 2003

The Sun, Berlaymont. Papers and correspondence on complaint by NK about an article in the Sun about the cost of the European Commission taking on the Berlaymont building in Brussels [Belgium].
1 file.

Jul 2000-Sep 2004

Daily Mail. Papers and correspondence on a libel case taken out by NK following an article by Simon Heffer in the Daily Mail on NK's resignation as Michael Foot's Parliamentary Private Secretary, venality, and failure to deal with European Commission fraud.
1 file.

Oct 2004-Dec 2004

Press: misc letters. Press material released on fraud and administrative reform of the European Commission and the euro, including: press statements by NK; transcripts of press interviews; letters to the press from NK.
2 files.

Sep 2001-Jun 2003

Referendum on the Constitution. Press coverage of the proposed British referendum on the European Union constitution.
1 file.

Apr 2004