Jacques Barrot

Jacques Barrot (French pronunciation: [ʒak baʁo]; 3 February 1937 – 3 December 2014) was a French politician who served in the European Commission as Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security (2008–2010), Commissioner for Transport (2004–2008) and Commissioner for Regional Policy (2004). He was also one of the vice-presidents of the Barroso Commission. In France, he held several ministerial posts and was later a member of the Constitutional Council from 2010 until his death in 2014.

Barrot joined the Prodi Commission in April 2004 as Commissioner for Regional Policy, before moving in November 2004 to become Commissioner for Transport and a vice-president in the first Barroso Commission. In May 2008, following Franco Frattini’s departure from the Commission, Barrot took over the Justice, Freedom and Security portfolio. On 18 June 2008 the European Parliament held hearings on the reshuffle and approved the related changes; on the same day MEPs also voted to appoint Antonio Tajani as Transport Commissioner. He remained Commissioner until February 2010, when the second Barroso Commission took office and the portfolio was split between Viviane Reding (Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship) and Cecilia Malmström (Home Affairs).

Barrot served several terms as a deputy for Haute-Loire (1967–1974, 1981–1995, 1997–2004) and presided over the Haute-Loire General Council (1976–2001). He was Minister of Health (1979–1981) and Minister of Labour (1995–1997).

In 2000 Barrot received an eight-month suspended sentence for illegal party funding related to the CDS; the sentence concerned acts covered by a 1995 presidential amnesty, which expunged the conviction under French law. The European Parliament’s legal service accepted that he was not legally required to disclose an amnestied conviction during his 2004 hearing. This came after the UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage revealed the conviction in a statement in the European Parliament.

Barrot was appointed to the Constitutional Council on 12 March 2010 and served until his death on 3 December 2014 in Neuilly-sur-Seine.

• Officer of the Legion of Honour (2011).