The architect of the Single European Act, first modification of the Treaty of Rome, and of the ambitious reform of the funding for the European community, he is one of the most influential politicians in forming the Europe of the nineties.

Jacques Delors was born in Paris on the 20th July 1925. A graduate in economics and with the diploma of the Centre for Higher Banking Studies, he began his professional career in the Bank of France 81945-62), later holding the post of planning advisor for social and cultural affairs (until 1971). During this time he alternated his institutional work with teaching, first in the prestigious National School of Administration (1963-64 and 1974-76) and later in the University of Paris-Dauphine (1973-79). In 1975 he took over the running of the Work and Society research centre.

In December 1974 Delors became a member of the French socialist party, and was elected as a Euro-MP in the first direct elections in 1979; as a representative in the Assembly of the European Community he came to hold the presidency of the Economic Commission. In François Mitterand's first government, in may 1981, he was appointed Minister of Economy and Finance - a post he held for one parliamentary term. From 1983 on he was the mayor of Clichy- Marcha. On the 5th January 1985 he succeeded the Luxembourger Gaston Thorn to the presidency of the European Commission, the bureaucratic and executive organ of the European Community.

When Delors was posted to this European organization he initially considered it as the wilderness; it was a widespread opinion among Continental leaders that the European Commission was just a set of personalities with neither face nor spirit. A few months after occupying the presidency, Jacques Delors made it into the true executive arm of the Community. The Single European Act was passed, the European Community financial systems was reinforced by means of the White Paper for a single internal market, the Treaty of Adhesion was signed with Spain and Portugal, the European Social Charter, the consolidation of the single European currency and the harmonization of indirect taxation were set running. The work of Delors at the head of the European Commission has been essential for all these measures to be adopted, and not only has it made the overall working of the Community more dynamic, but it has meant a major renewal of its structures.

Delors' activity within the European Community has been governed by two essential ideas: reinforcing its institutions, which involves reinforcing the powers of the European Commission, which he presides, and establishing a politically solid internal currency, and the EC´s social dimension.

These ideas have been captured in works such as "Social Indicators" (1971), "Change" (1975) and "Get out or not" (1985), where he propounds his ideas on political economy.