Marina Yannakoudakis Explained

Marina Yannakoudakis
Constituency Mp:London
Parliament:European
Term Start:4 June 2009
Term End:2 July 2014
Predecessor:John Bowis
Successor:Lucy Anderson
Birth Date:16 April 1956
Birth Place:Paddington, London, England, United Kingdom
Party:Conservative Party
Spouse:Zacharias Yannakoudakis
Alma Mater:Brunel University
Open University
Website:Official website

Marina Yannakoudakis (born 16 April 1956) is a member of the European Economic and Social Committee and a former Conservative Member of the European Parliament for London. She was elected at the 2009 European Parliament election. She lost her seat at the 2014 election.

Early years

Yannakoudakis was born in Paddington. She studied for a BSc in government, politics and modern history at Brunel University, where she was chairman of the Conservative students, and also received an MA in education from the Open University.

She was a member of Barnet London Borough Council for Oakleigh Park Ward from 2006 to 2010 where she was chair of the Cleaner, Greener, Transport and Development Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

Member of the European Parliament

She was a full member of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality, the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and a substitute member of the Special Committee on Organised Crime, Corruption and Money Laundering. She was a member of the Delegation to the EU-Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee.[1]

She was also a member of the High-Level Contact Group for relations with the Turkish Cypriot community in the northern part of the island and was the Conservative and the European Conservatives and Reformists spokesman on Women's Rights and Gender Equality.

Women's Rights

Yannakoudakis campaigned against EU plans to give women 20 weeks maternity leave on full pay. She led calls in the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality for an impact assessment of the legislation to be conducted which resulted in the proposals being shelved.[2] She has also spoken out against EU proposals to have a quota for women on boardrooms, where she described the proposals as "patronising".>[3]

She pushed for a redress to the Test Achats vs Council of Ministers case, a European Court of Justice ruling which determined it was illegal for insurance companies to discriminate on the basis of gender in the European Union.[4]

Yannakoudakis also worked on issues related to women and entrepreneurship[5] and child protection.[6]

Yannakoudakis led a campaign in the European Parliament against female genital mutilation.[7]

Health and Environment

In the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety she concentrated on public health issues, where she spoke out on the need for stricter rules for EU doctors[8] as well as ensuring that MRI scanner rules are not over-regulated by EU law.[9] She drafted the committee's report on the voluntary donation of tissues and cells which called for more donations of cord blood for stem cell transplants.[10] She is the committee's contact point for the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Yannakoudakis led a campaign to ensure that EU rules do not make it more difficult for electronic cigarette users to access e-cigs.[11]

Cyprus and LGBT Rights

Yannakoudakis worked to support efforts to find people who went missing during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus and Cypriot intercommunal violence.[12] She was a member of the European Parliament Intergroup on LGBT Rights.[13] She has campaigned for the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Northern Cyprus.[14] She met and received assurances from Turkish Cypriot leader Dr. Derviş Eroğlu that he would sign a repeal of the gay ban into law[15] and by putting pressure on the authorities in the north she was instrumental in overturning the anti-gay law.[16] [17]

She supported LGBT rights by co-authoring a resolution on LGBT rights in Africa especially the protection of lesbians[18] and called on the EU to suspend its aid to Uganda in light of the Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill.[19]

Opposition to EU Policy

Yannakoudakis was strongly opposed to the introduction of a European Union financial transaction tax[20] [21] [22] which she believed would have an adverse effect on the City of London. She has also campaigned to protect companies in her constituency threatened by EU rules including Prudential plc.[23] She led a cross-party multi-national campaign to secure a level playing field for sugar cane refiners, including London's Tate & Lyle where jobs are under threat.[24] [25] [26] [27]

She led campaigns to seek savings in the EU budget. She raised concerns about spending on EU orchestras[28] and has called for cuts to be made to the European Personnel Selection Office.[29] and the Agencies of the European Union.[30] [31] She criticised the EU spending €2 million a year on Europe Day.[32]

Yannakoudakis made a number of comments on the enlargement of the EU. She voted against the accession of Iceland to the European Union[33] [34] citing the ongoing Icesave dispute as an obstacle to EU membership. Yannakoudakis called for Iceland to fully compensate all UK depositors, especially the London councils which had invested surplus money. She also opposed a European Parliament report recommending the accession of Turkey to the European Union[35] citing concerns about Ankara's failure to fully respect women's and minority rights, especially Kurds in Turkey. She also criticised Turkey's refusal to work with the 2012 Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Personal life

She married her Greek-born husband, Zacharias Yannakoudakis, in 1983. She was finance director of the company that they founded and ran together until her election; the couple has three children. The family lives in Barnet.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: European Parliament Profile. European Parliament. 8 January 2012.
  2. News: New EU maternity rules 'set to be shelved'. 17 June 2011. The Parliament Magazine. Brussels. 8 January 2012. Martin. Banks. dead. https://archive.today/20130204024433/http://www.theparliament.com/latest-news/article/newsarticle/new-eu-maternity-rules-set-to-be-shelved/. 4 February 2013.
  3. News: Outcry over EU plan for more women directors. 5 September 2012. The Daily Express. London. 5 September 2012.
  4. News: MEP objects to ECJ ruling. 20 December 2011. Insurance Age. London. 8 January 2012. Caitlin. Morrison.
  5. News: MEPs urge encouragement for female web entrepreneurs. 4 October 2011. Euractiv. Brussels. 8 January 2012. Jeremy. Fleming.
  6. Web site: Protecting children from sex abuse. Conservatives in the European Parliament. 8 January 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20111109033229/http://www.conservativeeurope.com//news/1436/protecting-children-from-sex-abuse.aspx. 9 November 2011.
  7. News: Europe-wide move to end FGM barbarism. 3 February 2014. Evening Standard. London. 9 February 2014. Anna. Davis.
  8. News: MEP calls for language tests for doctors. 21 November 2011. The Parliament Magazine. Brussels. 8 January 2012. Martin. Banks. dead. https://archive.today/20120911193545/http://www.theparliament.com/latest-news/article/newsarticle/mep-calls-for-language-testing-for-doctors/. 11 September 2012.
  9. News: MRI ban would be 'madness' - warns MEP. 2 December 2011. PublicService Europe. Brussels. 8 January 2012. Marina. Yannakoudakis. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20111205153800/http://www.publicserviceeurope.com/article/1203/mri-ban-would-be-madness-warns-mep. 5 December 2011.
  10. Web site: Health MEPs oppose paid donation of tissues and cells. 21 June 2012 . European Parliament. 21 July 2012.
  11. News: E-cigarettes key to helping smokers kick the habit. 18 July 2013. London 24. London. 9 February 2014. Marina. Yannakoudakis. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140207073153/http://www.london24.com/news/news/opinion/blog_e_cigarettes_key_to_helping_smokers_kick_the_habit_1_2284866. 7 February 2014.
  12. News: MEPs press for continued action to find Cyprus' disappeared. 8 June 2011. The Parliament Magazine. Brussels. 8 January 2012. Martin. Banks. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20111021054944/http://www.theparliament.com/policy-focus/enlargement/enlargement-article/newsarticle/meps-press-for-continued-action-to-find-cyprus-disappeared/. 21 October 2011.
  13. James Ledward, Tory MEP joins European Intergroup on LGBT rights, GScene, 24 July 2012
  14. News: MEPs condemn gay arrests in Northern Cyprus. 1 February 2012. The Pink News. London. 2 February 2012. Stephen. Gray.
  15. News: Conservative MEP gets pledge from Turkish Cypriot leader to repeal anti-gay law . 20 October 2011 . The Pink Paper . London . 8 January 2012 . Peter . Lloyd . https://archive.today/20120720154301/http://news.pinkpaper.com/NewsStory/6252/20/10/2011/Conservative-MEP-gets-pledge-from-Turkish-Cypriot-leader-to-repeal-anti-gay-law.aspx . 20 July 2012 . dead .
  16. News: Northern Cyprus votes to repeal gay sex ban. 27 January 2014. The Pink News. London. 9 February 2014. Scott. Roberts.
  17. News: Northern Cyprus lifts ban on gay sex. 27 January 2014. BBC News. London. 9 February 2014.
  18. News: European Parliament condemns violence against lesbians in Africa. 6 July 2012. The Pink News. London. 21 July 2012. Stephen. Gray.
  19. News: Tory MEP says EU aid must stop if Uganda passes anti-gay bill. 19 November 2012. The Pink News. London. 4 February 2013. Scott. Roberts.
  20. News: Tax and the City. 7 December 2011. City AM. London. 8 January 2012. Marina. Yannakoudakis.
  21. News: No plot against UK, insists EU's Barnier. 23 January 2012. PublicService Europe. Brussels. 24 January 2012. Daniel. Mason. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120619101419/http://www.publicserviceeurope.com/article/1391/no-plot-against-uk-insists-eus-barnier. 19 June 2012.
  22. News: Push ahead with financial transaction tax, MEPs urge. 23 May 2012. PublicService Europe. Brussels. 7 June 2012. Daniel. Mason. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120527053636/http://www.publicserviceeurope.com/article/1971/push-ahead-with-financial-transaction-tax-meps-urge. 27 May 2012.
  23. News: Prudential departure would be "severe blow", says Tory MEP. 29 February 2012. Insurance Insight. London. 10 March 2012. Francesca. Nyman. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120526165501/http://www.insuranceinsight.eu/insurance-insight/news/2156133/prudential-departure-severe-blow-tory-mep. 26 May 2012.
  24. News: Tate & Lyle EU sugar case backed by MEPs. 20 February 2012. The Grocer. London. 10 March 2012.
  25. News: No Sweeteners. 10 May 2012. EU Chronicle. Brussels. 16 May 2012.
  26. News: MEPs call for reforms to help Tate & Lyle. 29 May 2012. The Wharf. London. 7 June 2012. Giles. Broadbent.
  27. News: MEPs lobby for 'equal treatment' for EU sugar cane refiners. 5 July 2012. Agra Europe. Brussels. 21 July 2012.
  28. News: EU spends £9 million on 13 orchestras. 18 March 2012. The Daily Telegraph. London. 16 May 2012. Martin. Banks.
  29. News: Commissioner leaps to defence of under-fire EU personnel office. 31 January 2013. The Parliament Magazine. Brussels. 4 February 2013. Martin. Banks. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130206023741/http://www.theparliament.com/latest-news/article/newsarticle/commissioner-leaps-to-defence-of-under-fire-eu-personnel-office/. 6 February 2013.
  30. News: UK deputy calls for 'bonfire' of EU agencies. 10 May 2012. The Parliament Magazine. Brussels. 16 May 2012. Martin. Banks. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120513043801/http://www.theparliament.com/latest-news/article/newsarticle/uk-deputy-calls-for-bonfire-of-eu-agencies/. 13 May 2012.
  31. News: MEP calls for EU gender agency funding to be scrapped. 4 September 2012. The Parliament Magazine. Brussels. 5 September 2012. Martin. Banks. dead. https://archive.today/20130204095428/http://www.theparliament.com/latest-news/article/newsarticle/mep-calls-for-eu-gender-agency-funding-to-be-scrapped/. 4 February 2013.
  32. News: EU spends millions on Europe Day every year. 22 June 2012. Public service Europe. Brussels. 21 July 2012. Marina. Yannakoudakis. dead. https://archive.today/20130201140656/http://www.publicserviceeurope.com/article/2117/eu-spends-millions-on-europe-day-every-year. 1 February 2013.
  33. News: MEP in protest over Iceland EU membership . 14 March 2012. The Independent. London. 15 March 2012. Geoff. Meade.
  34. News: Iceland considers Canadian dollar instead of euro. 15 March 2012. EUObserver. Brussels. 15 March 2012. Nikolaj. Nielsen.
  35. News: EU parliament told Turkey is 'not ready' for EU accession. 30 March 2012. The Parliament Magazine. Brussels. 4 April 2012. Martin. Banks. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120402194236/http://www.theparliament.com/latest-news/article/newsarticle/eu-parliament-told-turkey-is-not-ready-for-eu-accession/. 2 April 2012.

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