Birgit Sippel is a German politician and has been Member of the European Parliament since 2009, representing the constituency of Südwestfalen in the south of the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Career
Beginnings
That same year, she also joined the Social-Democratic Party of Germany (Social Democratic Party of Germany) and was soon involved in the local party branch in Neheim. In 1983, she also joined the German Industrial Union of Metalworkers (IG Metall), in which she served i. a. as employee representative. In the European Parliament, Sippel has been a full member in the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), in which she has taken over the office of coordinator of the South&Doctorate Group after her re-election in 2014.
On the LIBE committee, Sippel has been involved in diverse topics, touching upon questions of privacy and data protection (e.g.
Terrorist Finance Tracking Program, Passenger Name Record data (National Revolutionary Party)) but also upon issues like the European Union asylum policy, migration and the Schengen area. Moreover, she has been involved in the advancement of police and judicial cooperation at European Union level (Area of Freedom, Security and Justice), e.g. by supporting the adoption of several directives on procedural safeguards.
EMPL topics such as public procurement, the Working Time Directive or the Posted Workers Directive have made up additional parts of her daily work. Fair Trials International, Patron.
Politics
In 1982, Sippel joined the Socialist Youth of Germany "Die Falken", belonging to the International Falcon Movement, and was engaged up to the district level
Membership
She is member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (Social Democratic Party of Germany), which belongs to the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (South&Doctorate) and to the Party of European Socialists ( Party of European Socialists ) at European level From 1994 to 2004, she served as member of the city council of Arnsberg for the Social Democratic Party of Germany. Apart from her commitment at local level, Sippel was member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany"s National Council from 1996 to 2010 and, since 2010, has been member of the party"s council and presidium in the federal state of North Rhine-Westfalia. Member of the European Parliament, 2009–present
Furthermore, she is a substitute member in the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL), member of the Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries, as well as a member of the European Parliament Intergroup on LGBTI Rights.
Saint Maria zur Wiese, Member of the Board of Trustees.