Enzo Moavero Milanesi


Enzo Moavero Milanesi is an Italian independent politician and law professor who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the first Cabinet of Giuseppe Conte from 1 June 2018 to 5 September 2019. He was also the Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe during the Italian Chairmanship of the organisation in 2018. He previously served as Deputy Secretary-General of the European Commission and as Italy's Minister of European Affairs in the Monti Cabinet and the Letta Cabinet from 16 November 2011 to 22 February 2014. He is a graduate of the College of Europe.

Early life and education

Milanesi was born on 17 August 1954. He is a descendant of Ferdinando Bocconi, who founded the Bocconi University in Milan. He graduated in law from the Sapienza University of Rome and continued his studies in Belgium, taking an LL.M. at the College of Europe.

Career

European and political career

Milanesi served in the Guardia di Finanza from 1977 to 1979, and subsequently worked for 20 years for the European Commission in Brussels. In 1994, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi appointed Milanesi Undersecretary for European Affairs.
From 1995 to 2000 Milanesi served as chief of cabinet to European Commissioner Mario Monti, responsible for competition policy and the internal market. Milanesi served as Deputy Secretary-General of the European Commission from 2002 to 2005, in this capacity supporting Secretary General David O'Sullivan.
Milanesi was appointed as Minister of European Affairs in the Monti Cabinet on 16 November 2011 and reconfirmed in the following cabinet led by Prime Minister Enrico Letta on 28 April 2013. He left the cabinet on 22 February 2014.
Shortly after, European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services Michel Barnier appointed Milanesi as an unpaid special adviser on legal issues on implementation of single market rules. From 2015, he served as special adviser to Frans Timmermans, the First Vice President of the European Commission, on the Rule of Law and ‘Better Regulation’.
Milanesi became the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Giuseppe Conte on 1 June 2018. Shortly after he took office, the ministry summoned French ambassador Christian Masset over remarks made by French President Emmanuel Macron condemning Italy’s decision to close its ports to humanitarian rescue ships.

Teaching

From 1993 to 1996, Milanesi was Professor of Law at the Sapienza University and LUISS, and from 1996 to 2000, he taught at the Bocconi University, and again at the Sapienza University from 2002 to 2006. He is currently Professor of European Law and Director of the School of Law at LUISS. He is also a visiting professor at the College of Europe.

Honours

National honours