Dita Charanzová

CV

My name is Dita Charanzová and I have been a Member of the European Parliament since 2014. I was reelected in 2019 and voted as Vice-president of the European Parliament. Born in Prague, I graduated from the University of Economics in Prague and the Diplomatic School of Spain in Madrid. In 2001, I completed my PhD Degree at the Faculty of International Affairs of the University of Economics, Prague. Before having my two daughters I worked primarily in foreign affairs as a diplomat. I enjoy my job and love my family. Welcome to my website!

Personal life

My partner and I have two daughters, Sophie and Mia. Before having children, we backpacked around the world, exploring its beauty. Since then, we have obviously changed our travel plans. The truth is that most of my travelling these days are on the roads between Prague, Strasbourg and Brussels. I have my favourite gas stations along the way where the staff now greet me as an old friend. I like challenges in my life, and have tried paragliding, scuba diving and parachuting. These days, my adrenalin rush comes from spending time with my little girls. I like to cook and am proud of my tiramisu, lemon cake, and Thai-style mussels. I am quickly becoming a champion pancake-maker– my girls love them and can never seem to get enough!

Professional life

I was elected to the European Parliament in 2014 as a candidate of the Czech political movement ANO. Five years later, as head of the candidate list, I was re-elected and in June 2019, I was elected Vice-president of the European Parliament. Since 2018, I have been a Vice President of the ALDE Party. The ANO delegation is a member of the political group Renew Europe. I am the Vice-Chair of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) and a substitute member of the Committee for International Trade (INTA). I am also a member of the delegations working closely with the United States and Mercosur countries. I have previously worked as a Czech diplomat, a manager, and a consultant. Most of my career has been related to EU affairs. I spent eight years in the Czech diplomatic service, and four of those as a Head of Unit at the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the EU. I have also worked as a manager of the Council of Europe’s TV studio. Since 2015, I have been a member of the Board of Directors of the Aspen Institute.

What do I stand for?

What is my ideal EU? A safe and prospering Union without bureaucratic borders that slow down progress. A Union which supports education and innovation. A Union which upholds democratic principles and promotes them throughout the world. In my day-to-day work, there are three key issues I focus on: consumer protection, the digital economy, and international trade. I focus, among others, on the possibilities for developing the digital sector for consumers and businesses alike, but also for citizens who want better online communication with their government. I am in favour of a liberal approach to new technologies, I believe they are the future of our economy and that we need to create the best conditions possible for their further development. I am deeply interested in negotiating new trade partnerships that will benefit Czech and European companies and citizens. But it is not just about trade. As an MEP, I have also authored a series of European Parliament resolutions addressing human rights violations in different countries across the globe.

Political awards

In 2016, I was the first Czech politician to have been awarded the MEP Award in Foreign Affairs for my activities in international relations and fighting for democratic principles. That same year, I was named one of the most influential persons in Central and Eastern Europe by the “New Europe 100” project, which annually awards individuals that drive innovation and development in the region. The following year (2017) I was listed among the 41 most influential MEPs and later recognised as a 'Tech Titan' under the list of the 20 most influential women who shape Brussels in 2017 and 2018, all by Politico. In 2018 I was listed as one of the 10 most influential women in the Czech Republic by Forbes.