Antonio La Pergola - Curriculum vitae #

Antonio La Pergola has been professor of Constitutional and Public Law at Universities of Padua, Bologna and Rome ("La Sapienza"). He has also been visiting professor at foreign Universities, including University College, Johns Hopkins, University of Texas, University of California, Harvard University. Antonio La Pergola has had honorary degrees conferred on him from Universidad Complutense and Universidad Carlos III in Madrid, Lisbon and Bucharest. Has been made honorary professor at Johns Hopkins, Salamanca, Externado de Colombia, and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico.

Antonio La Pergola was director of the Institute of regional studies at the National Research Centre; member of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary (1976-1978); a judge at the Constitutional Court, then President of that Court (1986-1987); Minister for co-ordinating Community policies (1987-1989); member of the European Parliament and Chairman of the Committees on scientific research and culture (1989-1994).

As judge and subsequently Advocate-General of the Court of Justice of the European Communities (from 1994), he has been able to deal with a very broad range of issues concerning compliance with and interpretation of the Treaties establishing the Communities and the Union, and the relevant secondary legislation. In the Council of Europe and other international fora, he has been a member of a number of expert bodies looking into studying legal matters (Badinter Commission for the establishment of the Court of Arbitration and Conciliation; the Kissinger and Carrington Commission of constitutional mediators dealing with the end of apartheid in South Africa; the Committee of Wise Persons on the restructuring of the Council of Europe); and has chaired the Council of Europe Commission on constitutional assistance to the new democracies in Europe (known as the Venice Commission).

Antonio La Pergola has always used his legal expertise, and the experience he has acquired in various public service posts, in the cause of European integration. He has written extensively on issues in this field.