Anita Pollack

Anita's activities since leaving the European Parliament

In brief:

Contested two European Parliamentary elections for Labour:

1999 for South East England region

2004 for London Region

Head of European Policy, English Heritage, 2000 – 06

Freelance adviser on European policy and funding, 2006-2016

Author of “Wreckers or Builders? A History of Labour MEPs 1979 – 1999” published October 1999 (ISBN 978-0-9556202-9-4)

Second book: "New Labour in Europe: Leadership and Lost Opportunities" published 18 January 2016 (ISBN 9780993454905).

Freelance Activities

• Written evidence to Environmental Audit Committee of Enquiry, House of Commons titled “EU policy and the environment: an agenda for the Helsinki Summit” - October 1999
• Keynote speaker in seminar on Women in Power run by British Council in Zimbabwe November 1999
• Speaker on urban environment at a conference on urban sustainability, Delhi, India
• Worked with Labour Chair of GLA Environment Committee prior to 2004 (pro bono)
• Adviser to Jeevika Trust, formerly India Development Group (pro bono)
• Adviser on EU policy to European Council of Archaeologists and to English Heritage 2006 to 2016
• Travelled extensively world-wide, including Far East (China, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia), Africa (Egypt, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa), South America (Peru, Ecuador, Galapagos, Cuba), the Arctic Circle (Canada, Greenland) and Australia in addition to Europe and North America.
• Visiting lectureships:
  • European Environment Policy, Birkbeck College, University of London, September 1999
  • EU environment policy, Bristol University 2005
  • Cultural Heritage and Europe, University of Portsmouth 2007
  • International School, Paris, 2007
  • City University Postgraduate Diploma in Cultural Studies 2007
  • School of European Studies, National School of Government (various dates)

As Head of European Policy for English Heritage, 2000 – 06

• Responsibilities included organizing regional seminars on EU funding and advising on EU legislation and relevant funded projects for the UK heritage sector as a whole, including local government and the voluntary sector
• Seminar paper for European Association of Archaeologists, Esslingen 2001 “Towards a sustainable Europe”
• Contributor on European heritage policy and urban regeneration workshop, European conference on conservation policy, organised by Friedrich Ebert-Stiftung, Berlin March 2003
• Worked with range of partners including local authorities advising on EU state aid rules for Newham and Waltham Forest regeneration projects and leading the heritage sector lobbying the EU on state aid regeneration funding
• Contributor and co-editor of Issue 50 of Conservation Bulletin "European and World Perspectives" Autumn 2005
• Convenor of ALGAO European working group (local authority archaeologists)
• Advised heritage sector on EU VAT regulations and took an active role in the campaign to reduce VAT on repairs and regeneration; member of European Heritage VAT Group to 2006
• Organised EU funding seminars in English regions for cultural heritage sector including local government 2000 – 06
• Member of Council of Europa Nostra (pan-European heritage organisation) and their European Task Force to 2006
• Actively involved in the Culture 2000 “My Place” project, bringing together Poland, Netherlands, East Germany and England concerned with regeneration of historic parks and encouraging community involvement. Contributor to “My Place, Historic European Parks and their Communities” (ISBN 83-922906-2-3), published in these four countries
• Following retirement in 2006, acted as EU policy adviser until 2015