BELGIAN ECONOMIC MISSION to the RUSSIAN FEDERATION / June 26 - July 1, 2006

HE Marc VERWILGHEN, FEDERAL MINISTER of ECONOMY, ENERGY, FOREIGN TRADE & SCIENCE POLICY Born in Dendermonde on 21 September 1952 Married, 2 children Studies Bachelor in Law studies, University of Brussels (VUB) - Master in Law studies, Ghent University (RUG) Career Attorney at Law (since 1975) Member of Parliament from 24/11/1991 until 12/04/1995 and since 21/05/1995 until 05/05/1999 Directly elected Senator since 13/06/1999 Member of the parliamentary hearing commission on Human trade Chairman of the parliamentary hearing commission on "Dutroux-Nihoul" and of the parliamentary hearing commission on "kidnapped and missing children and sexually abused children" (1996-1998) Negotiator "Octopus" treaty and the law for Integrated Police Forces (07/12/1998) Minister of Justice from 12 July 1999 until 12 July 2003 Doctor Honoris Causa University of Ghent - 1999 Profesor Honorifico de la Facultad de Ciencias Juridicas de la Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo - 2001 Director from "The Port Authority Bruges-Zeebrugge" since 28/04/2003 Minister for Development Cooperation from 12 July 2003 until 18 July 2004 Minister of Economy, Energy, Foreign Trade and Science Policy since 19 July 2004