Franz Fischler

European Commissioner

From 1995 to 1999, Franz Fischler was European Commissioner for agriculture and rural development. Since the appointment of the Commission in September 1999, he is also responsible for Community fisheries policy until 2004.

Mr. Fischler’s career as a representative of the agriculture sector began in 1979 when he joined the Tyrol Chamber of Agriculture.

In 1989, Mr. Fischler was appointed as Austria’s Federal Minister of Agriculture and Forestry. In that capacity, he played an important part in the negotiations for Austria’s accession to the European Union. In 1990 and again in 1994, he was elected to the Austrian Parliament — but did not exercise his mandate as an MP because of his ministerial post.

Franz Fischler was born in Absam, Tyrol, Austria in 1946. He chose to study agriculture at the University of Agricultural Sciences in Vienna, graduating in 1973.