Sven Koopmans
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Sven Michael George Koopmans (born 20 June 1973) is a Dutch international lawyer, diplomat and former politician. From 2021 to 2025 he served as the
European Union Special Representative The European Union Special Representatives (EUSR) are emissaries of the European Union with specific tasks abroad. While the Ambassadors of the European Union, EU's ambassadors are responsible for affairs with a single country, Special Representa ...
for the Middle East Peace Process. Before that he was a member of the
House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...
for the Peoples Party for Freedom and Democracy from 2017 to 2021. His father,
Aart Koopmans Aart Koopmans (12 October 1946 – 15 January 2007) was a Dutch business man, president of the Dutch winter speed skating marathon organisation and founder of the Alternative Elfstedentocht. His father, Bram Koopmans was the organiser for the Am ...
, founded the Alternative Elfstedentocht.


Career

In his role as EUSR, he is charged with providing an active contribution to the final settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on a two-state solution, in line with the UNSCR 2334 (2016). He reports directly to the
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission (HR/VP) is the chief co-ordinator and representative of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) within the European Un ...
,
Josep Borrell Josep Borrell Fontelles (; born 24 April 1947) is a Spanish politician who served as High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission from 2019 to 2024. A member of the Spani ...
, on this issue and maintains an overview of all EU regional activities linked to the Middle East Peace Process. From 2017 to 2021 Koopmans was a Member of Parliament for the
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy ( , VVD) is a Conservative liberalism, conservative-liberal List of political parties in the Netherlands, political party in the Netherlands. The VVD, whose forerunner was the Freedom Party (Netherl ...
, first as spokesman on legal affairs, then on foreign affairs and military missions. He was Head of Delegation to the
NATO Parliamentary Assembly The NATO Parliamentary Assembly serves as the consultative interparliamentary organisation for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). It consists of delegates from the parliaments of the 32 NATO member countries as well as from associate ...
, President of the Dutch-French Contact Group, Chair of the Parliamentary Commission on Requests and Citizen Initiatives, and Member of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is the parliamentary arm of the Council of Europe, a 46-nation international organisation dedicated to upholding human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The Assembly is made up of ...
, and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. Koopmans is a Knight of the
Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and civil. Currently consisting of five classes, it was ...
; he received this award in 2022. During his time as a Member of Parliament Koopmans submitted an amendment to the Dutch Constitution, adding a preamble to the Constitution. His amendment was approved in second reading by the Dutch Senate in July 2022 and entered into force after publication in August 2022. Between 2003 and 2016 he was political and legal advisor in peace processes, border conflict mediation and constitutional review processes under the auspices of the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
,
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
,
African Union The African Union (AU) is a continental union of 55 member states located on the continent of Africa. The AU was announced in the Sirte Declaration in Sirte, Libya, on 9 September 1999, calling for the establishment of the African Union. The b ...
and
OSCE The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is a regional security-oriented intergovernmental organization comprising member states in Europe, North America, and Asia. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, the pr ...
, among others, including in Cyprus, Darfur, Mali, Ukraine and Guyana/Venezuela. Between 2014 and 2016 he was senior mediation expert to the UN Special Envoy for Syria, between 2011 and 2013 advisor to the EU Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan, and from 2008 to 2009 to the International Civilian Representative in Kosovo. Between 2001 and 2008 Koopmans was also a barrister (advocaat) at the global law firm of Clifford Chance LLP, specializing in international litigation. In 2000 he advised Bosnia and Herzegovina at the United Nations in New York on negotiations on the
Rome Statute The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court is the treaty that established the International Criminal Court (ICC). It was adopted at a diplomatic conference in Rome, Italy on 17 July 1998Michael P. Scharf (August 1998)''Results of the R ...
, the treaty establishing the
International Criminal Court The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an intergovernmental organization and International court, international tribunal seated in The Hague, Netherlands. It is the first and only permanent international court with jurisdiction to prosecute ...
. Koopmans has taught peace negotiations at
Leiden University Leiden University (abbreviated as ''LEI''; ) is a Public university, public research university in Leiden, Netherlands. Established in 1575 by William the Silent, William, Prince of Orange as a Protestantism, Protestant institution, it holds the d ...
and Aix-Marseille III. He speaks Dutch, English, French and German.


Academic background and publications

Koopmans obtained master's degrees in law and political science at
Leiden University Leiden University (abbreviated as ''LEI''; ) is a Public university, public research university in Leiden, Netherlands. Established in 1575 by William the Silent, William, Prince of Orange as a Protestantism, Protestant institution, it holds the d ...
(1997) and a Master's degree (1998) and a Doctorate (2007) at
Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...
, the latter for his thesis Diplomatic Dispute Settlement (T.M.C. Asser Press, 2008). He also studied at
Sciences Po Paris Sciences Po () or Sciences Po Paris, also known as the Paris Institute of Political Studies (), is a public research university located in Paris, France, that holds the status of ''grande école'' and the legal status of . The university's unde ...
(1993),
Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
(1995) and
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...
(2000). During his time in Leiden University he was a member of Mordenate College.


Books

* ''Diplomatic Dispute Settlement: The Use of Inter-State Conciliation'' (T.M.C. Asser Press, 2008). * ''Negotiating Peace: A Guide to the Practice, Politics, and Law of International Mediation" (
Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...
, 2018). * ''Koopman, Dominee Generaal: nationaal belang buitenlandbeleid en de nieuwe wereldorde'' (Boom uitgevers Amsterdam, 2021).


Media

* Gutschker, Von Thomas (26 January 2024)
Bescheiden und realistisch, aber ehrgeizig
" ''Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung'' (in German). * * * * *


External links


EU Special Representatives, EEAS
* Sven Koopmans
LinkedIn


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Koopmans, Sven 1973 births Living people People's Party for Freedom and Democracy politicians International lawyers Academic staff of Leiden University