View source for Pat Cox

{{Short description|Irish former politician (born 1952)}}
{{for-multi|the Canadian-British fashion designer|Patrick Cox|the American HIV/AIDS activist|Spencer Cox (activist)}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=February 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image               = Cox Portrait 2002.jpg
| caption             = Official portrait, 2002
| office              = [[President of the European Parliament]]
| vicepresident       = [[Gérard Onesta]]
| term_start          = 15 January 2002
| term_end            = 20 July 2004
| predecessor         = [[Nicole Fontaine]]
| successor           = [[Josep Borrell]]
| office1             = Leader of the [[European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Group]]
| term_start1         = 1 June 1998
| term_end1           = 15 January 2002
| predecessor1        = [[Gijs de Vries]]
| successor1          = [[Graham Watson]]
| office2             = [[Member of the European Parliament]]
| term_start2         = 25 July 1989
| term_end2           = 20 July 2004
| constituency2       = [[Munster (European Parliament constituency)|Munster]]
| office3             = [[Teachta Dála]]
| term_start3         = [[1992 Irish general election|November 1992]]
| term_end3           = [[1994 European Parliament election in Ireland|June 1994]]
| constituency3       = [[Cork South-Central (Dáil constituency)|Cork South-Central]]
| birth_name          = Patrick Cox
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1952|11|28|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Dublin]], Ireland
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| nationality         = [[Irish people|Irish]]
| party               = [[Fine Gael]]
| otherparty          = {{ubl|[[Progressive Democrats]] (1985–1994)|[[European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party|ELDR]] (1994–2004)}}
| spouse              = {{marriage|Cathy Cox|1987}}
| children            = 6
| education           = [[Ardscoil Rís, Limerick|Ardscoil Rís]]
| alma_mater          = {{Ubl|[[University of Limerick]]|[[Trinity College Dublin]]}}
}}
'''Patrick Cox''' (born 28 November 1952) is an Irish former [[Fine Gael]] politician, journalist and television [[current affairs (news format)|current affairs]] presenter who served as [[President of the European Parliament]] from 2002 to 2004 and Leader of the [[European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Group]] from 1998 to 2002. He served as a [[Member of the European Parliament]] (MEP) for the [[Munster (European Parliament constituency)|Munster]] constituency from 1989 to 2004 and a [[Teachta Dála]] (TD) for [[Cork South-Central (Dáil constituency)|Cork South-Central]] from 1992 to 1994.<ref name=Personally>{{cite web|url=https://www.personallyspeakingbureau.com/speaker/pat-cox/|title=Pat Cox - Personally Speaking Bureau|access-date=5 September 2017|archive-date=5 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170905190820/https://www.personallyspeakingbureau.com/speaker/pat-cox/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Cox was a presenter with [[RTÉ]]'s ''[[Today Tonight (Ireland)|Today Tonight]]''.

==Early and personal life==
Cox was born in [[Dublin]] in 1952, but raised in [[Limerick]]. He was then educated at [[Ardscoil Rís, Limerick|Ardscoil Rís]] in Limerick, the [[University of Limerick]] and [[Trinity College Dublin]]. He is married to Cathy, and lived at Ashboro, Shanakiel in the [[Cork (city)|Cork]] north side suburb of Sunday's Well for 16 years.<ref name="patswapcorkcapital">{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/property/2010/0902/1224278047855.html |title=Pat's campaign to swap Cork for capital |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=2 September 2010 |access-date=18 September 2010 |archive-date=22 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022022821/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/property/2010/0902/1224278047855.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Early career==
Cox first came to prominence as a journalist, then a presenter with [[RTÉ]]'s ''[[Today Tonight (Ireland)|Today Tonight]]'', a four-nights-a-week current affairs programme which dominated the Irish television schedules in the 1980s. He left the programme to become a political candidate.

==Political career==
===Career in national politics===
Cox stood as a [[Fianna Fáil]] candidate at the [[1979 Irish local elections|1979 local elections]].<ref name=IT_07062011>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0607/breaking46.html |title=Pat Cox applies to join Fine Gael |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=7 June 2011 |first=Paul |last=Cullen |access-date=7 June 2011 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024011936/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0607/breaking46.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Member of the European Parliament, 1989–2004===
Cox was elected an [[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]] in [[1989 European Parliament election in Ireland|1989]] for the constituency of [[Munster (European Parliament constituency)|Munster]], representing the [[Progressive Democrats]] (PDs).<ref name=elecs_irl>{{ElectionsIreland|name=Pat Cox|id=3924|access-date=7 June 2011}}</ref> During his first term, he served on the [[Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs|Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy]].

At the [[1992 Irish general election|1992 general election]], Cox was also elected to [[Dáil Éireann]] as a [[Teachta Dála|TD]] for [[Cork South-Central (Dáil constituency)|Cork South-Central]].<ref name=oireachtas_db>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Pat-Cox.D.1992-12-14/|title=Pat Cox|work=Oireachtas Members Database|access-date=20 July 2013|archive-date=4 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181204154520/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Pat-Cox.D.1992-12-14/|url-status=live}}</ref> Following [[Desmond O'Malley]]'s retirement from the party leadership in 1993, Cox stood for election to the post but was beaten by [[Mary Harney]]. He became deputy leader.

Cox left the PDs in May 1994 in a dispute over his seat as an [[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hogan |first1=Dick |title=Cox accepts his resignation will damage the PDs |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1994/0514/Pg008.html#Ar00802 |page=8 |url-access=subscription |access-date=7 July 2022 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |date=14 May 1994}}</ref> It was expected that Cox would not contest his seat in the [[1994 European Parliament election in Ireland|1994 European election]]; Des O'Malley, who had a large Munster base in [[Limerick]] city and [[County Limerick]], was selected as the party candidate. However, Cox then decided to contest the seat as an [[Independent politician (Ireland)|independent]], beating O'Malley. On being elected, he resigned his Dáil seat, and a [[1994 Cork South-Central by-election|by-election]] was held on 10 November 1994, which was won by [[Fine Gael]]. He subsequently served on the [[Committee on Constitutional Affairs|Committee on Institutional Affairs]] from 1994 until 1997 and on the [[Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs|Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy]] from 1997 until 1999. In addition to his committee assignments, he was a member of the Parliament's [[European Parliament Delegation for relations with South Africa|Delegation for relations with South Africa]].

When incumbent [[Gijs de Vries]] stepped down to enter the [[Second Kok cabinet|government]] of [[Prime Minister of the Netherlands|Prime Minister]] [[Wim Kok]] of the [[Netherlands]],<ref>[https://www.politico.eu/article/local-hero/ Local hero] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181015003015/https://www.politico.eu/article/local-hero/ |date=15 October 2018 }} ''[[European Voice]]'', 14 April 1999,</ref> Cox was elected president of the [[European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (European Parliament group)|ELDR group]] in the European Parliament in 1998, becoming the first Irishman to lead a political group in the Parliament.<ref name="politico_the-rise-and-rise-of-the-munster-marvel"/> He subsequently played a key role in the fall of the [[Santer Commission]] by consistently – and loudly – calling for the Commissioners to resign.<ref name="politico_the-rise-and-rise-of-the-munster-marvel">Martin Banks (16 January 2002), [https://www.politico.eu/article/the-rise-and-rise-of-the-munster-marvel/ The rise and rise of the Munster marvel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181015002933/https://www.politico.eu/article/the-rise-and-rise-of-the-munster-marvel/ |date=15 October 2018 }} ''[[European Voice]]'', 14 April 1999.</ref>

Cox was unanimously re-elected Group President in June 1999, following his re-election as an MEP at the [[1999 European Parliament election in Ireland|1999 European Parliament election]]. He resigned this post when he became [[President of the European Parliament]] on 15 January 2002, in accordance with an agreement between the [[European People's Party]] (Christian Democrats) and the ELDR groups at the start of the term (in the customary two-way split of the five-year Presidency of the European Parliament). He succeeded the Frenchwoman [[Nicole Fontaine]].<ref>[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-13268495.html "Irishman Pat Cox Elected President of European Parliament"]{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}. Xinhua News Agency. 15 January 2002.</ref> At his first press conference following his election as president he spoke positively of direct talks between the [[Cyprus|Cypriot]] President [[Glafcos Clerides]] and [[Northern Cyprus|Turkish Cypriot]] President [[Rauf Denktaş]].<ref>[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NewsLibrary&p_multi=BBAB&d_place=BBAB&p_theme=newslibrary2&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F969F952D1B3901&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM "European Parliament head welcomes direct talks on Cyprus"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120128072951/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NewsLibrary&p_multi=BBAB&d_place=BBAB&p_theme=newslibrary2&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F969F952D1B3901&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |date=28 January 2012 }}. Cyprus News Agency, Nicosia. 16 January 2002.</ref>

In July 2003, Cox took a personal telephone apology from [[Prime Minister of Italy|Prime Minister]] [[Silvio Berlusconi]] after Berlusconi managed to offend several MEPs.<ref>[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-104875214.html Silvio Berlusconi "expresses his regret" to Pat Cox for "expressions and comparisons" used in parliamentary debate last week]{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}. 8 July 2003.</ref> The controversy arose after Berlusconi compared a German MEP to a Nazi concentration camp commandant.<ref>[http://www.rte.ie/news/2003/0705/EU.html "Cox says Berlusconi comment distracting EU"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031222052634/http://www.rte.ie/news/2003/0705/EU.html |date=22 December 2003 }}. RTÉ. 5 July 2003.</ref><ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bTEMAAAAIBAJ&sjid=T14DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2094,1989710&dq=pat+cox&hl=en "In EU debut Italian leader insults German"]. ''U.S. St. Petersburg Times'' (Florida). 3 July 2003.</ref><ref name="TVNZ_203275">{{cite news |url=http://tvnz.co.nz/content/203275?cfb3=3 |title=PM not sorry for "ironic" remark |date=5 July 2003 |work=[[Television New Zealand]] |access-date=2 November 2011 |archive-date=13 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613220643/http://tvnz.co.nz/content/203275?cfb3=3 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Cox did not contest the [[2004 European Parliament election in Ireland|2004 elections to the European parliament]]. The Christian Democrats (European People's Party – EPP) and Socialist Groups agreed on the customary two-way split of the Presidency of the European Parliament. [[Josep Borrell|Josep Borrell Fontelles]], a Spanish Socialist, assumed the Presidency on 20 July 2004, holding it until 15 January 2007.

==Later career==
Cox is a member of the Comite d'Honneur of the [[Institute of European Affairs]]. In 2006, he was elected President of [[European Movement]], an international pro-European lobby association. In June 2009, Pat Cox temporarily stepped down as president and took over the position of the campaign director for the pro-[[Lisbon treaty]] initiative [[Ireland for Europe]].<ref>[http://www.europeanmovement.eu Ireland for Europe – Pat Cox steps down as President of the European Movement International] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816012337/https://europeanmovement.eu/ |date=16 August 2021 }}. 22 June 2009.</ref> He resigned as president of the European Movement in May 2013.

Also in 2009, Cox co-founded the [[European Privacy Association]].<ref name="decorrespondent">{{cite web |url=https://decorrespondent.nl/147/hoe-een-machtige-lobby-onze-privacy-onder-druk-zet/8234488416-2a0e5caf |title=Hoe een machtige lobby onze privacy onder druk zet |author=Tomas Vanheste |website=[[De Correspondent]] |date=10 October 2013 |access-date=11 October 2013 |language=nl |archive-date=10 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610212330/https://decorrespondent.nl/147/hoe-een-machtige-lobby-onze-privacy-onder-druk-zet/8234488416-2a0e5caf |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 15 September 2010, Cox supported the new initiative [[Spinelli Group]], which was founded to reinvigorate the drive toward federalisation of the European Union (EU). Other prominent supporters include [[Jacques Delors]], [[Daniel Cohn-Bendit]], [[Guy Verhofstadt]], [[Andrew Duff]] and [[Elmar Brok]].

In June 2011, Irish media reported that Cox, who had previously said he wanted to stand as an independent candidate in [[2011 Irish presidential election|2011's Irish presidential election]], was seeking to join [[Fine Gael]] to get the party's nomination.<ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0607/breaking46.html ''Pat Cox applies to join Fine Gael'', Irish Times, Dublin, 7 June 2011] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024011936/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0607/breaking46.html |date=24 October 2012 }}.Retrieved: 7 November 2011</ref> Fine Gael's national executive on 16 June 2011 approved his application to join the party's St Luke's branch in Cork.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0614/president.html |title=Pat Cox becomes member of Fine Gael |work=[[RTÉ News]] |date=15 June 2011 |access-date=15 June 2011 |archive-date=16 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616225305/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0614/president.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In July 2011, [[Gay Mitchell]] became the Fine Gael candidate.<ref name="mitchell">{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0709/breaking24.html|title=Mitchell chosen as FG candidate|last=De Bréadún|first=Deaglán|date=9 July 2011|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=9 July 2011|archive-date=12 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812171257/https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0709/breaking24.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Before that, Cox was "pleased" to help prepare Fine Gael's first-100-day strategy after it won the [[2011 Irish general election|2011 general election]].<ref>Stephen Collins and Mary Minihan. [http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0224/1224290735549.html "Cox helping Fine Gael prepare for first 100 days in office"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110305082616/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0224/1224290735549.html |date=5 March 2011 }}. ''The Irish Times''. 24 February 2011.</ref>

Between 2012 and 2014, Cox and [[Aleksander Kwaśniewski]] led a European Parliament monitoring mission in [[Ukraine]] to monitor the [[Criminal cases against Yulia Tymoshenko since 2010|criminal cases against Yulia Tymoshenko]], [[Yuriy Lutsenko]] and [[Valeriy Ivaschenko]].<ref>[http://www.interfax.co.uk/ukraine-news/ukraine-welcomes-prolongation-of-cox-kwasniewski-mission-until-fall-says-kozhara/ Ukraine welcomes prolongation of Cox-Kwasniewski mission until fall, says Kozhara] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210923101025/https://interfax.com/ |date=23 September 2021 }}, [[Interfax-Ukraine]] (18 April 2013)<br />[http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/145261.html Cox-Kwasniewski mission to visit Ukraine in late March, planning to visit Tymoshenko] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304035034/http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/145261.html |date=4 March 2016 }}, [[Interfax-Ukraine]] (19 March 2013)</ref><ref>Simon Carswell (26 February 2018), [https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/pat-cox-willing-to-assist-mueller-investigation-if-asked-1.3405269 Pat Cox willing to assist Mueller investigation if asked] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180226121926/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/pat-cox-willing-to-assist-mueller-investigation-if-asked-1.3405269 |date=26 February 2018 }} ''[[Irish Times]]''.</ref>

==Other activities==
===International organizations===
* [[European Investment Bank]] (EIB), Member of the Appointment Advisory Committee (since 2017)<ref>[http://www.eib.org/en/infocentre/press/news/all/appointment-of-the-members-of-the-appointment-advisory-committee.htm Appointment of the Members of the Appointment Advisory Committee] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181013211757/http://www.eib.org/en/infocentre/press/news/all/appointment-of-the-members-of-the-appointment-advisory-committee.htm |date=13 October 2018 }} [[European Investment Bank]] (EIB), press release of 6 February 2017.</ref>

===Corporate boards===
* Appian Asset Management, Member of the Board<ref name="kpmg_pat-cox">[https://home.kpmg.com/xx/en/home/contacts/c/pat-cox.html Pat Cox] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181015042058/https://home.kpmg.com/xx/en/home/contacts/c/pat-cox.html |date=15 October 2018 }} [[KPMG]].</ref>
* [[Ecocem]], Member of the Board,<ref name="kpmg_pat-cox"/> Chair of the Board (since 2021)<ref>Nisa Khan (September 16, 2021), [https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/news/article/movers-and-shakers-17-september-2021 Movers & Shakers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918143337/https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/news/article/movers-and-shakers-17-september-2021 |date=18 September 2021 }} ''[[The Parliament Magazine]]''.</ref>
* European Integration Solutions LLC, Managing Partner (since 2005)<ref name="independent_25996422">[https://www.independent.ie/business/irish/pat-cox-for-board-of-michelin-25996422.html Pat Cox for board of Michelin] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181015042022/https://www.independent.ie/business/irish/pat-cox-for-board-of-michelin-25996422.html |date=15 October 2018 }} ''[[Irish Independent]]'', 24 March 2005.</ref>
* [[KPMG]], Chairman of the Public Interest Committee<ref name="kpmg_pat-cox"/>
* [[Liberty Global]], Member of the European Advisory Council
* [[Michelin]], Member of the supervisory board (since 2005)<ref name="independent_25996422"/>

===Non-profit organizations===
* [[Institute of International and European Affairs]] (IIEA), Member of the Board<ref name="kpmg_pat-cox"/>
* [[Jean Monnet Foundation for Europe]], President (since 2015)
* Yalta European Strategy (YES), Member<ref>[https://yes-ukraine.org/en/about/yes-board Board] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181015042117/https://yes-ukraine.org/en/about/yes-board |date=15 October 2018 }} Yalta European Strategy (YES).</ref>
* [[European Movement International]], President (2005–2011)
* [[Limerick National City of Culture]], Chair (2013–2014) <ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-20218842.html |title=Pat Cox to head Limerick City of Culture initiative |newspaper=Irish Examiner |date=2013-01-08 |access-date=2025-06-01}}</ref>

==Recognition==
On 20 May 2004, Cox was awarded the [[Charlemagne Prize]] (''Karlspreis'') for his achievements with regard to the [[enlargement of the European Union]] and for his work in promoting greater EU democratisation.

In addition, he is a recipient a Grand Cross of the [[Order of the Star of Romania]] and a Knight Grand Cross of the [[Order of Merit of the Italian Republic]].

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.europarl.europa.eu/former_ep_presidents/president-cox/biography/en/default.htm European Parliament Former President Pages – Cox]
* {{MEP|1287|Pat Cox}}
* [http://www.limerickcity.ie/Library/LocalStudies/LocalStudiesFiles/P/Politicians// Pat Cox in 'Politicians' file at Limerick City Library, Ireland] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806031536/http://www.limerickcity.ie/Library/LocalStudies/LocalStudiesFiles/P/Politicians// |date=6 August 2020 }}

{{s-start}} 
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before = [[Nicole Fontaine]]}}
{{s-ttl|title  = [[President of the European Parliament]]
       |years  = 2002–2004}}
{{s-aft|after  = [[Josep Borrell]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{EuroparlPres}}
{{Cork South-Central (Dáil constituency)/TDs}}
{{Members of the European Parliament for Ireland (1989–1994)}}
{{Members of the European Parliament for Ireland (1994–1999)}}
{{Members of the European Parliament for Ireland (1999–2004)}}
{{Charlemagne Prize recipients}}
{{Progressive Democrats}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cox, Pat}}
[[Category:Presidents of the European Parliament]]
[[Category:Television personalities from Dublin (city)]]
[[Category:Politicians from Dublin (city)]]
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Members of the 27th Dáil]]
[[Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of the Star of Romania]]
[[Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic]]
[[Category:MEPs for the Republic of Ireland 1999–2004]]
[[Category:MEPs for the Republic of Ireland 1994–1999]]
[[Category:MEPs for the Republic of Ireland 1989–1994]]
[[Category:Progressive Democrats MEPs]]
[[Category:Alumni of Trinity College Dublin]]
[[Category:Politicians from Limerick (city)]]
[[Category:People associated with the University of Limerick]]
[[Category:Independent MEPs for Ireland]]
[[Category:Fine Gael politicians]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, 1st Class]]
[[Category:Progressive Democrats TDs]]
[[Category:People educated at Ardscoil Rís, Limerick]]