Catherine Ashton

March, 1956

Catherine Ashton worked in the public, private and voluntary sector and from 1983-89 she was Director of Business in the Community. From 1998 to 2001she chaired the Health Authority in Hertfordshire, and became a Vice President of the National Council for One Parent Families. In 1999 Catherine Ashton became a life peer. She then took on a ministerial position (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State) in the Department for Education and Skills in 2001, and subsequently in the Department for Constitutional Affairs and Ministry of Justice. She became a Privy Councillor in May 2006. Catherine Ashton was appointed Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Queen's Privy Council in June 2007. As well as Leader of the Lords, she was instrumental in steering the EU's Treaty of Lisbon through the UK's upper chamber. In 2008, she succeeded Peter Mandelson as Commissioner for Trade in the European Commission. Catherine Ashton became the first person to take on the role of High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy that was created by the Treaty of Lisbon. As High Representative, Baroness Ashton serves as the EU's foreign policy chief.

Catherine Ashton

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also known as The Baroness Ashton of Upholland

politician

Background

Catherine Ashton comes from a working-class family, with a background in coal-mining going back generations. She was the first person in her family to attend university.

Career

Catherine Ashton worked in the public, private and voluntary sector and from 1983-89 she was Director of Business in the Community. From 1998 to 2001she chaired the Health Authority in Hertfordshire, and became a Vice President of the National Council for One Parent Families. In 1999 Catherine Ashton became a life peer. She then took on a ministerial position (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State) in the Department for Education and Skills in 2001, and subsequently in the Department for Constitutional Affairs and Ministry of Justice. She became a Privy Councillor in May 2006. Catherine Ashton was appointed Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Queen's Privy Council in June 2007. As well as Leader of the Lords, she was instrumental in steering the EU's Treaty of Lisbon through the UK's upper chamber.

In 2008, she succeeded Peter Mandelson as Commissioner for Trade in the European Commission. Catherine Ashton became the first person to take on the role of High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy that was created by the Treaty of Lisbon. As High Representative, Baroness Ashton serves as the EU's foreign policy chief.

Achievements

During her time as Trade Commissioner she has initialled an ambitious and far-reaching free trade agreement with South Korea. In October 2009 as Trade Commissioner she concluded what was described by some commentators as ‘the most important trade agreement ever negotiated between the European Union and a third country’. Ashton led the European Union delegation in an agreement with South Korea that removed virtually all tariffs between the two economies. Catherine Ashton has represented the European Union in the Doha Round of world trade talks, and built on already strong bilateral trade and investment relationships. As Trade Commissioner she co-chaired the European Union-China High Level Economic and Trade Dialogue with Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Qishan.

In May 2009 after twenty years of disputes she represented the European Union leading to an end of the beef war with United States. In November 2009 she represented the European Union to end the twenty-year-old ‘banana wars’, principally involving Latin America and the European Union. Pascal Lamy head of the World Trade Organisation,said: "It has taken so long that quite a few people who worked on the cases, both in the secretariat and in member governments have retired long ago”.

She has also championed trade as a means of promoting development around the world, putting the European Union's economic relationship with African, Caribbean and Pacific (American College of Physicians) countries on a firmer footing.

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