Judges 2025
Our thanks goes out to our distinguished panel of judges who will have the difficult task of choosing the winners of The Parliament MEP Awards 2025.
Dr. László Andor
Secretary General of FEPS (Foundation for European Progressive Studies, Brussels)
László Andor is Secretary General of FEPS (Foundation for European Progressive Studies, Brussels).
He was EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (2010-14), and subsequently Head of Department of Economic Policy at Corvinus University (Budapest). He has also been lecturing at Hertie School (Berlin), ULB (Brussels) and Sciences Po (Paris) and is member in various think tanks (EPC, RAND Europe, Friends of Europe).
Between 2005-10, he was member of the Board of Directors at the EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, London). He is Doctor Honoris Causa at Sofia University of National and World Economy and has the Legion of Honour (awarded by the French President in 2014). The title of his latest book is Europe’s Social Integration.
Petros Fassoulas
Secretary General, European Movement International
Petros has been the Secretary General of the European Movement International since July 2015.
Previously, Petros worked for the European Commission and the Committee of the Regions, as well as the British Parliament and the UK’s Financial Services Authority.
He holds a BSc (Econ) on International Politics and Europe from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, and an MSc on European Economics, Politics and Law from the London School of Economics.
Dr. Peter Hefele
Policy Director, Martens Centre
Dr. Peter Hefele graduated in Economic History before joining the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) in 2003 as Head of the Economic Policy Department.
From 2006 on, he served as Head of the China, Southeast Asia, and India Department. Between 2010 and 2019, he worked as Head of the China Office of KAS in Shanghai and as Head of the Regional Project “Energy Security and Climate Change” in Hong Kong before becoming the Director of Asia and Pacific at KAS in Berlin.
Since January 2022, he has been the Policy Director of the Wilfried Martens Centre. His work focuses on foreign, security, economic and energy policy.
Elizabeth Kuiper
Associate Director, European Policy Centre
Elizabeth Kuiper is Associate Director at the European Policy Centre, a Brussels based Think Tank. Her focus is on policies strengthening societal resilience and sustainability, and on social investment in areas such as healthcare and affordable housing. She equally works on the on the nexus between pharmaceutical policy and economic security.
Before joining the EPC, Elizabeth was Executive Director at the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). She previously worked as Attaché at the Permanent Representation of the Netherlands to the EU in the field of health and as Political Adviser to the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sports in the Netherlands.
Tamara Makoni
DEI Board Member, Brussels Binder
Tamara Makoni is an inclusion specialist and founder of Kazuri Consulting. Her work as a strategic advisor, speaker and facilitator is underpinned by over a decade’s experience in global business to her. Her core focus areas are inclusive leadership, gender equality, intersectionality and cross-cultural collaboration.
In addition to her full-time job, Tamara guest lectures on DEI at several universities and serves on the Board of the Brussels Binder, an NGO working to diversify European policy debates. Her work has been featured by numerous publications, and in 2024 she was named by EU Insider as a top voice to follow in DEI.
Geneviève Pons
Director General and Vice President of Europe, Europe Jacques Delors
Geneviève Pons was responsible for environmental and climate matters in Jacques Delors’ Cabinet during his final mandates as President of the European Commission (1991-1995). An Honorary Director of the European Commission, she held several management roles before becoming Director of the ILO’s Legal Service in 2013, and then Director of the WWF’s European Office in 2015.
Since November 2017, she has led Europe Jacques Delors, a think tank continuing Jacques Delors’ European vision. Geneviève is a graduate of Sciences Po Paris, the Sorbonne, and ENA. She chairs the citizens engagement group of the EU Mission: Restore our Ocean and Waters, co-chairs the Antarctica2030 coalition with Pascal Lamy, and is a member of the European Book Prize jury. She is a Knight of the Legion of Honour.
Rareș Voicu
President, European Youth Forum
Rareș Voicu has been involved in the field of youth and child participation since the age of 15. Over the past seven years, he has successfully led various youth organisations at the local, national, and international level, tirelessly advocating for the rights of his peers and empowering them to have their voices heard by decision-makers.
He has previously served as a Board Member of the European Youth Forum and has worked for UNICEF in the field of child and adolescent engagement, supporting the participation of children in decision-making processes.
Camino Mortera-Martinez
Head of the Brussels office, Centre for European Reform
Camino Mortera-Martinez is head of the Brussels office, for th Centre for European Reform.
She is a qualified lawyer with over 15 years of experience in EU law and politics. She specialises in security, rule of law, migration and EU law and institutions. She also covers Spain’s European policy.
Camino is a regular contributor to media in Europe and the US and has given evidence to the British, Spanish and European Parliaments.
María Rodríguez Alcázar
President, European Youth Forum
María became an activist and advocate for human rights at 14, when she joined the secondary school union in her village in Spain.
Since then, she has been representing young people in various capacities, including the Vice President of the Spanish Youth Council (CJE).
She is now a PhD student at Ghent University and the United Nations University Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies, and she holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and a Masters in African Studies.
María Rodríguez Alcázar
President, European Youth Forum
María became an activist and advocate for human rights at 14, when she joined the secondary school union in her village in Spain.
Since then, she has been representing young people in various capacities, including the Vice President of the Spanish Youth Council (CJE).
She is now a PhD student at Ghent University and the United Nations University Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies, and she holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and a Masters in African Studies.
André Sobczak
Secretary-General, Eurocities
André Sobczak, Secretary General of Eurocities since August 2022, has worked for 20 years as a manager and impact-oriented academic, as well as serving two terms as Vice-President of the Nantes Metropolitan Area.
He has worked tirelessly to help business be a force for good, both by assisting companies in tackling social and ecological challenges, and by spearheading initiatives like ‘Fairwork,’ a monitor for working conditions in the platform economy.
He leads with an approach of multi-level cooperation between the public sector, businesses and civil society for tangible positive impact
@andresobczak
Secretary General of @eurocities
Gardenia Trezzini
Editor, Euronews
Gardenia Trezzini is Editor-in-Chief for European Affairs at Euronews and the Head of Brussels bureau since 2019.
Previously Editor-in-chief News at Euronews’ HQ in Lyon, when she was responsible for overall editorial policy and coverage of events for the 24/7 news coverage in 12 languages.
Before joining Euronews, Gardenia worked for RAI, the Italian public broadcaster, reporting for several current affairs and lifestyle programmes.
@gardenews @euronews