Former European Parliament President Pat Cox Joins APCO

Washington, D.C.,/London (July 5, 2006) – Pat Cox, former president of the European Parliament and managing partner of European Integration Solutions, joined APCO Worldwide’s International Advisory Council as a senior counselor, Margery Kraus, president and chief executive officer, announced today.

In 1989 President Cox was first elected to the European Parliament as a member for the constituency of Munster in the Republic of Ireland. He was elected three times to Parliament and served on many committees including, the Economic and Monetary Affairs, Institutional Affairs, and Legal Affairs Committees of the European Parliament. Pat Cox was also a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committees to Sweden, Austria and Hungary and served on the Parliamentary Delegation to South Africa.

“President Cox is an outstanding addition to the global team at APCO, he brings to the firm international expertise and insight into EU affairs that is unparalleled in the industry,” said Brad Staples APCO chief executive officer, Europe, Middle East and Africa. “Our clients will benefit not only from his first-hand knowledge of the European political system, but also from the depth of his experience in the areas of international finance, law, business and international relations.”

Cox served as president of the European Parliament from January 2002 until July 2004. During his presidency, he campaigned ceaselessly throughout Europe to promote the enlargement of the European Union, including vigorous campaigning in the Irish referendum on the Nice Treaty and the subsequent accession referenda throughout Central and Eastern Europe. He was the European Parliament’s senior representative on the Intergovernmental Conference leading to the adoption of the proposed new Constitutional Treaty.

“I am pleased to be joining a powerful team of consultants and advisors who have a strong history of working with global clients on critical global issues,” said President Cox. “APCO is known for its keen understanding of the international business environment, an environment shaped by the interplay among business, public policy and public opinion.”

President Cox joins a number of elite strategists as a member of the APCO Worldwide International Advisory Council including Dr. Ludolf von Wartenberg, managing director of the Federation of German Industries; and Sergio Marchi, previously a Canadian government cabinet minister and ambassador to the World Trade Organization; and Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat, former U.S. Representative to the European Union. President Cox was elected president of the European Liberal Democrat Group in 1998 and played a decisive role on the question of parliamentary accountability of the executive towards the end of the life of the Santer Commission. He was unanimously re-elected as group president in June 1999 following the elections to the European Parliament.

Between 1986 and 1989 President Cox was the founding secretary general of the Progressive Democrats in Ireland and represented that party in Dail Eireann (Irish Parliament) in the early ’90s as their finance spokesman. Between 1982 and 1986 he worked as a television current affairs reporter and presenter. He reported on Irish and international political and economic events, including U.S. presidential elections and United Kingdom and French general elections.

He has been conferred by their respective presidents with the highest national honors of Italy, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Romania. In 2003 he was presented in Poland with the special diploma of the minister of foreign affairs for the promotion of Poland in Europe and he was awarded the Polish Business Oscar for 2003. In May 2004 President Cox was the recipient of the International Charlemagne Prize in Aachen for his outstanding contribution to the EU enlargement process. In Brussels he was twice recognized in award ceremonies for his parliamentary activity, being named Member of the European Parliament of the Year in 2001 and Campaigner of the Year in 2003. The American Chamber of Commerce to the EU, following a vote, presented President Cox with the Transatlantic Business Award of the Year in 2004.

In September 2005 President Cox was awarded by the French Republic the title of commander of the order of the legion of honour for his outstanding contribution to promotion of the European Integration. In December 2005 President Cox was elected president of the European Movement International. He is a member of the board of trustees of the International Crisis Group and of Friends of Europe. President Cox also serves on the Supervisory Board of the French based global tire company Michelin.

About APCO Worldwide

Founded in 1984, APCO Worldwide is an independently owned global communication consultancy with offices in major cities throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. APCO was named 2006 Agency of the Year by PR Week, 2005 European Consultancy of the Year by Public Affairs News and 2004 Public Affairs Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report. Clients include corporations, governments, industry associations and nonprofit organizations. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., APCO includes among its clients seven of the top 10 companies on Fortune’s Global 500. Core services include corporate, investor and internal communication; crisis management; issue management; government relations; litigation communication; media relations; coalition building; opinion research; market entry; corporate responsibility and online communication. APCO is a majority women-owned business. For more information, please visit www.apcoworldwide.com.

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Contact:
Megan Carpenter
202-659-7913
mcarpenter@apcoworldwide.com

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