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A new Trade Commissioner for the EU, Baroness Catherine Ashton
In October MEPs appointed Baroness Catherine Ashton was appointed as the new EU Commissioner for Trade. Baroness Ashton replaces Peter Mandelson, who resigned following his appointment to the British government.
At the time of her appointment, the 52 year old was leader of the British Labour party in the House of Lords. Prior to this she had been in the parliamentary Chamber for eight years - serving for a time as a Minister for Education and skills.
Active in local business and healthcare
Before joining the Lords she was active in running her local health authority and in encouraging businesses in the community.
Previous posts held by Baroness Ashton include Director of Business in the Community, founder of The Employers' Forum on Disability, Opportunity Now, and the Windsor Fellowship.
She has also been on her children's school governing body, and later became a vice president of the National Council for One Parent Families.
Ashton studied economics at London University and she is the third Briton to hold the trade post after Peter Mandelson and Leon Brittan.
During the hearing Commissioner Catherine Ashton faced at the European Parliament she declared "I believe that the gradual building of an open global trading system based on shared rules is one of the great achievements of the twentieth century. The WTO system might not be perfect, but it is easy to underestimate just how unpredictable the global economy would be without it", said Catherine Ashton.
Summary of Baroness Ashton hearing at the European Parliament http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/focus_page/008-39804-294-10-43-901-20081016FCS39803-20-10-2008-2008/default_p001c002_en.htm
Watch the hearing of the Commissioner
Profile of the Baroness