Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union

• Head of Cabinet to the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Justice and Institutional Reforms (1987-1988)
• Municipal councillor in Liège since October 1988
• Vice President of the Reformist Movement (1992-2004)
• Member of the Chamber of Representatives since 1992
• Chairman of the PRL-FDF Group (Liberal Reform Party) in the Chamber of Representatives (1995-1999)
• President of the Reformist Movement Provincial Federation since 1995
• Chairman of the Reformist Movement’s Liège District (1995-2004)
• President of the Reformist Movement since 11 October 2004
• Member of the Bureau and Treasurer of the Liberal International since 14 May 2005
• Head of the Reformist Movement group on Liège City Council since 1995
• Minister of Finance since 12 July 1999
• President of the Euro Group (meeting of the finance ministers of the euro area) from 1 January to 31 December 2001 and of Ecofin (meeting of the European Union finance ministers) from 1 July to 31 December 2001
• Member of the G7 in 2001
• Chairman of the G10 comprising the main creditor states (Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States) in 2002
• Minister of Finance responsible for the Building Commission since 12 July 2003
• Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Institutional Reforms since 18 July 2004
• Deputy Prime Minister responsible for the National Lottery, the Federal Holding and Investment Company and insurance companies from 23 December 2007

Professional career

• Lawyer (1981-1985)
• Director General of the Local Authorities Department of the Ministry of the Wallonia Region (1985-1988)
• Chairman of the National Belgian Railways Company (SNCB) (1986-1991)
• Chairman of the National Airways Company (SNVA) (1991-1993)
• Lecturer at the Hautes Ecoles Commerciales in Liège
• Member of the Public Law Department of the University of Liège
• Visiting professor at the Catholic University of Leuven

Studies

• Master’s degree in law from the University of Liège in 1981