Speaker profile
Julie Girling
Julie was born in London, educated at Twickenham County Grammar School followed by Liverpool University where she graduated in 1979 with a degree in History and Politics. She joined Ford Motor Company as a graduate trainee working on the shop floor in a supervisory role and later moved into retail management with Argos, Dixons/Currys and Boots before heading up Buying and Marketing at Halfords. She then spent several years living and working in Indonesia with her husband.
In 1999 Julie was elected as a Councillor on Cotswold District Council and became Leader of the Council in 2003. In 2000 she was elected to Gloucestershire County Council and became Lead Cabinet Member for the Environment in 2005.
Julie was delighted to be elected as MEP for the South West of England and Gibraltar in June 2009 and successfully re-elected for a second term in May 2014. With a keen interest in all environmental and agricultural issues she was very pleased to be reappointed to the Environment, Public Health & Food Safety Committee, was recently Rapporteur on Air Quality and is now Rapporteur for the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). Julie is also a member of the Agriculture Committee, Fisheries Committee and the Women’s Rights & Gender Equality Committee as well as a member of the ASEAN Delegation for relations with South East Asia.