As reported widely in the Spanish media yesterday and today, ALDE MEP Ignasi Guardans (CiU, Catalunya, Spain) has been nominated for the position of Director of the Spanish Institute for Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA) in the current Spanish Government and will thus be stepping down as MEP next week in Strasbourg.

Guardans was a very active member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, in particular in the fields of civil liberties, culture and trade. He worked especially hard on transparency of EU legislation, objecting to the rules banning liquids over 100ml from being taken on board aircraft and took a close interest in the revision of the so-called 'TV without frontiers' directive which aimed to take account of the role of the internet in audiovisual services and in the opening up of the telecommunications sector to greater competition and choice.

In addition to his parliamentary work, he had demonstrated a close interest in the cinematographic sector, both from a legislative perspective and as a passionate 'aficionado', attending several international film festivals, taking part as speaker in different professional gatherings and seminars of the film industry, and organising a number of 'cine' evenings in Brussels using film as a vehicle for advocating a political message such as the fight against torture.

His dedication and enthusiasm for his parliamentary work is universally recognised by his ALDE colleagues and will no doubt be demonstrated in his new role as Director of the ICAA.

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For more information, please contact:
Neil Corlett: +32-2-284 20 77 or +32-478-78 22 84
e-mail: neil.corlett@europarl.europa.eu
Web: http://www.alde.eu