- Born on 16 September 1957 in Paris (F)

- Nationality: French

- Official in the Court of Auditors (from 1984)

- Technical Adviser, then Policy Officer, to Lionel Jospin at the Ministry of National Education (1988‒1990)

- Head of Department for the modernisation of public services and financing at the French National Planning Board (1990‒1994)

- Member of the European Parliament (1994‒1997)

- Minister for European Affairs (1997‒2002)

- French Government Representative on the Convention on the Future of Europe (2002)

- Member and Vice-President of the European Parliament (2004‒2007)

- President of the European Movement France (2005‒2006)

- Member of the French National Assembly for the Doubs département (since 2007)