Abel Matutes Juan, winner of the 19th Otto von Habsburg Award

The Spanish Committee for the Pan-European Union decided at its Board of Directors on 25 October, chaired by Florentino Portero and with Carlos Uriarte as Secretary General, to award the 19th Otto von Habsburg Prize, corresponding to the year 2022, to Abel Matutes Juan for the role played by the former Minister of Foreign Affairs and former Commissioner for the regional integration of Spain in the European Union, as well as for his work on the draft European Constitution.

Abel Matutes Juan is a Spanish politician, businessman and banker. He has been a senator of the Kingdom of Spain (1977-1982), member of the Spanish Parliament (1982-1986), member of the European Commission (1986-1994) under the presidency of Jacques Delors, member of the European Parliament (1994-1996), Minister of Foreign Affairs (1996-2000), currently Chairman and owner of Palladium Hotel Group and Grupo Empresas Matutes.

The Board of Directors of Paneuropea considers "that his fundamental work in the European Commission for the achievement of the Monetary Union, in addition to the work carried out in the field of European foreign policy for the fraternity and friendship of Europe with Latin America and the countries of the southern region have laid a fundamental foundation for the current relations of the Union with these areas".

Matutes will thus join the list of personalities who have received the Otto of Habsburg Award, which includes, among others: the former Minister of Education, Iñigo Méndez de Vigo; the Vice-President of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinás; the Jean Monnet Professor 'ad personam', Teresa Freixes; the former Minister of Foreign Affairs and former European Commissioner, Marcelino Oreja Aguirre and the former President of the European Parliament, José María Gil Robles.

In the near future, the Board of Directors will make official the date and place where the commemorative event will take place, as well as the award ceremony.