News of the passing of Eberhard Rhein will be received with great sadness by all his many friends and former colleagues during the decades of his pioneering service as a senior official in the European Commission. He exercised real influence in charting the direction of EU policy in a number of different areas, including external affairs, enlargement and cooperation with countries in the Mediterranean and the Arab world. He was very early in recognising the vital importance of the European Union giving a world lead on climate change and global economic development. He served successive Commissions and Commissioners with distinction.
He is also mourned as an invaluable friend and counsellor to all involved with the European Policy Centre. In the early years of the EPC in the 1990s - after it was instituted by Stanley Crossick, Max Kohnstamm and myself - Eberhard was always available for us to draw on his vast experience of many different aspects of European and world affairs. He was not only a committed European integrationist, he was also a profound champion of democratic and social justice ideals. In later years - under the EPC leadership of Hywel Ceri Jones - Eberhard was an influential voice on the governing council of the EPC. In retirement Eberhard remained a valued Senior EPC Adviser.
To all Eberhard's family, his former colleagues and many friends, the EPC extends its sincere condolences.
John Palmer, Former Political Director, European Policy Centre