John Dalli
European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy
Incumbent
Assumed office 9 February 2010
President	José Manuel Barroso
Preceded by	Androulla Vassiliou (Health) Meglena Kuneva (Consumer Protection)
Personal details
Born	(1948-10-05) 5 October 1948 (age 63)
Political party	Nationalist Party
Spouse(s)	Josette Callus
Children	Claire Louisa
Profession	Accountant
Website	Official website

John Dalli (born 5 October 1948) is the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy and a former Maltese politician who served as Cabinet Minister in various Maltese governments between 1987 and 2010.

Maltese politics[link]

Dalli was first elected to the House of Representatives of Malta in 1987 on behalf of the Nationalist Party and since then he has been re-elected in five successive elections: in 1992, 1996, 1998, 2003 and 2008. He has served as Parliamentary Secretary for Industry (1987–1990), Minister of Economic Affairs (1990–92), Minister of Finance (1992–1996, 1998–2004)^[1] and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Investment Promotion (2004).^[2] During his tenure at the Ministry of Finance (the longest in Maltese political history), Dalli is best remembered for his modernisation of the taxation system through the introduction of VAT in 1994 and again in 1998.

From 1987 to 1996 and from 1996 to 2004 Dalli served as co-chairman of the Libyan-Maltese Joint Commission, during which time he led the renegotiation of all political and economic agreements between Malta and Libya to bring them in line with the EU acquis.

In February 2004 Dalli contested the election for the leadership of the Nationalist Party but lost to Lawrence Gonzi who was appointed Prime Minister. In the new Cabinet Dalli was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and Investment Promotion. However, he resigned after serving for only three months from April to July 2004, citing attacks by members of his own party, following allegations into awards of contracts for medical equipment and airline ticketing.^[3]. All allegations against him were proven false, by the auditor general and by the police. The person who appeared as the author of the allegations was sentenced for two years in prison. Dalli remained a backbench MP. In 2007 the Prime Minister, after admitting that accusations against Dalli had been disproved, appointed Dalli as a personal consultant.^[4]

Dalli was re-elected to the House of Representatives in the March 2008 general election and returned to the Cabinet as Minister for Social Policy. His portfolio included health, the elderly, employment and training, housing and industrial relations. Joe Cassar and Mario Galea were appointed Parliamentary Secretaries for Health and for the Elderly and Community Care respectively to assist him.^[5].

He resigned as Minister and as Member of Parliament on 10 February 2010 on his appointment as European Commissioner.^[6]

European Commissioner[link]

Dalli was appointed European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy in the second mandate of the Barroso Commission where he was given the Health and Consumer Policy portfolio.^[7][8]

As with his tenure as Maltese Minister, he has been subject to a number of controversies. Some of the most notable included authorisations regarding the genetically modified Amflora^[9][10], the publication of a diary for schools which included holidays of various religions except for Christian holidays^[11] and, during the 2011 Libyan civil war, when he made pro-Gaddafi remarks. These remarks were attributed to the various business interests and links Dalli had in Libya and put him out-of-step with President Barroso. He had to issue an apology^[12].

Private sector[link]

Qualified as an accountant, Dalli worked in the private sector in Malta and abroad, both in industry and as an independent consultant. His consultancy business was dormant during his tenure in the Maltese Cabinet and was reactivated in 2004 (when Dalli a backbencher) with an office in Tripoli and specialising in consultancy in Libya. At this time Dalli was also a director of glass manufacturing company in Libya. In 2008, on resuming politics, he quit the directorships and handed over the consultancy to his daughter.^[13]

References[link]

External links[link]

• John Dalli Official Media Gallery

v t e Barroso Commission II (since 2010) Joaquín Almunia2 · László Andor · Catherine Ashton2 · Michel Barnier · José Manuel Barroso1 · Dacian Cioloş · John Dalli · Maria Damanaki · Štefan Füle · Máire Geoghegan-Quinn · Kristalina Georgieva · Karel De Gucht · Johannes Hahn · Connie Hedegaard · Siim Kallas2 · Neelie Kroes2 · Janusz Lewandowski · Cecilia Malmström · Günther Oettinger · Andris Piebalgs · Janez Potočnik · Viviane Reding2 · Olli Rehn · Antonio Tajani2 · Androulla Vassiliou · Maroš Šefčovič2 · Algirdas Šemeta 1 = President. 2 = Vice President.

v t e Maltese Government 2008-2013 Jason Azzopardi · Tonio Borg · Joe Cassar · Dolores Cristina · John Dalli · Mario de Marco · Giovanna Debono · Tonio Fenech · Mario Galea · Austin Gatt · Lawrence Gonzi · Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici · Clyde Puli · George Pullicino · Chris Said