The Berlin International Economics Congress
An Interdisciplinary Analysis of the Roles of Global Politics & Civil Society in International Economics
Niels Helveg Petersen
Former Minister for Economic Affairs of Denmark , Former Minister for Foreign Affairs
Mr. Petersen became a civil servant in the European Commission in 1974. Helveg Petersen was first elected to the Folketing in November 1966 and with the exception of a term as Chef de Cabinet to the Danish EC Commissioner Finn Gundelach between 1974 and 1977, has served as an MP to the present day.
Mr. Petersen was Minister for Economic Affairs from December 1990 in the Cabinet of Poul Schlüter. Afterwards he became Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1993 to 2000 in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen. In April 2008 he announced that he is not standing at the next election to take place in November 2011 at the latest.
Mr. Petersen was the Danish social liberal party’s political spokesman, 1968-1974 and 1977- 1978. Mr. Petersen was Chairman of the parliamentary group of the Social Liberal Party, 1978-1988 and of the Folketing's Economic and Political Affairs Committee, 1982-1984. Chairman of the Greater Copenhagen Development Council from 1990-1993.
