{{short description|Croatian politician (born 1961)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Tonino Picula | honorific_suffix = [[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]] | image = 1718810237987 20240619 PICULA Tonino HR 006.jpg | constituency_MP = [[Croatia (European Parliament constituency)|Croatia]] | parliament = European | term_start = 1 July 2013 | term_end = | office2 = Observer of the [[European Parliament]] for [[List of observers to the European Parliament for Croatia, 2012–2013|Croatia]] | term_start2 = 1 April 2012 | term_end2 = 1 July 2013 | office4 = [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration (Croatia)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]] | term_start4 = 27 January 2000 | term_end4 = 22 December 2003 | prime_minister4 = [[Ivica Račan]] | predecessor4 = [[Mate Granić]] | successor4 = [[Miomir Žužul]] | office3 = Mayor of [[Velika Gorica]] | term_start3 = 17 June 2005 | term_end3 = 17 June 2009 | predecessor3 = [[Ivan Šuker]] | successor3 = [[Dražen Barišić]] | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|8|31|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Mali Lošinj]], PR Croatia, FPR Yugoslavia (modern Croatia) | death_date = | death_place = | party = [[Social Democratic Party of Croatia|Social Democratic Party]]<br />[[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats]] | alma_mater = [[University of Zagreb]]<br />([[University of Zagreb Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences|Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences]]) | spouse = Marijana Mikić | children = 1 | website = {{URL|http://www.toninopicula.com/en|Official website}} | footnotes = | caption = Official portrait, 2024 }} '''Tonino Picula''' (born 31 August 1961) is a Croatian politician currently serving his fourth term as a [[Member of the European Parliament]] for Croatia, having previously run in [[2013 European Parliament election in Croatia|2013]], [[2014 European Parliament election in Croatia|2014]], [[2019 European Parliament election in Croatia|2019]] and [[2024 European Parliament election in Croatia|2024]] European elections.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Home {{!}} Tonino PICULA {{!}} MEPs {{!}} European Parliament|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/112744/TONINO_PICULA/home|access-date=2021-03-10|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|language=en}}</ref>
Picula entered Croatian politics in the early 1990s in recently formed democratic Croatia and had served four consecutive terms as a member of the [[Croatian Parliament]], having been elected in the [[2000 Croatian parliamentary election|2000]], [[2003 Croatian parliamentary election|2003]], [[2007 Croatian parliamentary election|2007]], and [[2007 Croatian parliamentary election|2011]] parliamentary elections as a member of the center-left [[Social Democratic Party of Croatia|Social Democratic Party]] (SDP).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Arhiva izbora Republike Hrvatske|url=https://www.izbori.hr/arhiva-izbora/index.html#/app/home|access-date=2021-03-10|website=www.izbori.hr}}</ref> He served as [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Croatia)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]] from 2000 to 2003<ref>{{Cite web|title=MVEP • Croatian Ministers for Foreign Affairs|url=http://www.mvep.hr/en/the-ministry/croatian-ministers-for-foreign-affairs/|access-date=2021-03-10|website=www.mvep.hr}}</ref> under prime minister [[Ivica Račan]], and as mayor of [[Velika Gorica]] from 2005 to 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Arhiva izbora Republike Hrvatske|url=https://www.izbori.hr/arhiva-izbora/index.html#/app/lokalni-2005|access-date=2021-03-10|website=www.izbori.hr}}</ref>
Picula is a member of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SDP) and sits with the [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats|Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats]] in the European Parliament.<ref>{{Cite web|title=SDP Croatia - Our MEPs|url=http://www.sdp.hr/nasi-ljudi/zastupnici-u-europskom-parlamentu/|access-date=2021-03-10|website=www.sdp.hr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Our members|url=https://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu/who-we-are/our-members/meps|access-date=2021-03-10|website=Socialists & Democrats|language=en}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Picula was born in [[Mali Lošinj]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=One moment, please... |url=https://www.toninopicula.com/en/your-mep/biography |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260218153626/https://www.toninopicula.com/en/your-mep/biography |archive-date=2026-02-18 |access-date=2026-04-28 |website=toninopicula.com |language=en}}</ref> and completed both primary and secondary education in [[Šibenik]], [[Dalmatia]]. In 1986, he graduated in [[sociology]] from the [[Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb|Faculty of humanities and social sciences]], [[University of Zagreb]] and earned the title of professor of sociology. From 1987 to 1989, he worked as an associate axpert at the Croatian Parliament of Culture and secretary of the magazine "Kulturni radnik", after which he worked for a year as an associate axpert at the Center for Idea-Theoretical Work. With the independence of the Republic of Croatia and the beginning of the [[Croatian War of Independence|Croatian War for Independence]], he actively engaged in its defence as a member of the [[Armed Forces of Croatia|Armed Forces]].
He is married and has a daughter with his wife Marijana.
== Political career ==
=== Career in national politics === After the [[2000 Croatian parliamentary election|2000 parliamentary elections]] in which SDP, under [[Ivica Račan]], won in a broad coalition, Picula was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and served a full term until 2003. During his term in office, Croatia achieved several developments in its foreign relations, including obtaining candidate status for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ([[NATO]]) and the [[European Union]], and joining the [[World Trade Organization]]. He signed the [[Stabilization and Association Agreement]] on behalf of the Croatian government, and submitted the country's application for membership in the European Union. He also signed, on behalf of Croatia, the [[Agreement on Succession Issues of the Former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia]], following a prolonged period of negotiations, disagreements, and delays.<ref name="NN 2/2004 (17.3.2004.)">{{cite web |url=https://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/medunarodni/full/2004_03_2_20.html |title=Odluka o proglašenju Zakona o potvrđivanju Ugovora o pitanjima sukcesije |date=8 March 2004 |publisher=[[Narodne novine]] |access-date=2 October 2022 }}</ref>
In the 2005 local elections, he was elected mayor of [[Velika Gorica]]. He also served as president of the SDP branch in Velika Gorica from 1997 to 2000.
From 2004 to 2008, he served as president of the SDP Main Committee, and subsequently as a member of the party’s Presidency for four years. He has been elected as a member of the Croatian Parliament in every parliamentary election since 2000. In Parliament, he served as chair of the Committee on Foreign Policy and as a member of the Committee for the Constitution, Rules of Procedure and Political System, the Committee for Interparliamentary Cooperation, the Committee for War Veterans, and the Committee for European Integration.
Since 2003, he has been the head of the Delegation of the Croatian Parliament to the [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|OSCE]] Parliamentary Assembly, where he has been active for ten years. In the period from 2010 to 2011, he was the rapporteur of the Committee for Political and Security Affairs of the OSCE PA, and from 2011 to 2014, he held the position of Vice-President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. He was appointed as a special coordinator and head of OSCE observation missions to the parliamentary and presidential assemblies in Moldova (2010), Kazakhstan (2011), Russia (2012), Georgia (2012) and Armenia (2013).
After the end of Croatian negotiations for [[European Union|EU]] membership, Tonino Picula became an observer of the Croatian Parliament in the [[European Parliament]], while in the first [[2013 European Parliament election in Croatia|Croatian elections for the European Parliament in 2013]], he was elected with the largest number of preferential votes.
In the first and in the last European parliamentary elections in the Republic of Croatia (2013, 2014, 2019 and 2024), Tonino Picula was elected by the direct will of the citizens - preferential votes.
Named the most influential Croatian member of the European Parliament twice, in 2020 and 2023. According to the explanation of the [https://eumatrix.eu/en/blog/MEP-Influence-Index-2024-Top-100-most-politically-influential-MEPs EU Matrix], Picula was among the first 100 thanks to his work in the field of EU [[Common Foreign and Security Policy|foreign]] and [[Regional policy of the European Union|cohesion]] policy.
In 2024, he was declared the [https://eumatrix.eu/en/blog/MEP-Influence-Index-2024-Top-MEPs-shaping-EU’s-Foreign-affairs-defense-%26-enlargement most influential in the field of foreign policy], and the 28th most influential MEP out of a total of 705 MEPs in the European Parliament.
== Member of the European Parliament, 2013–present == [[File:Picula na Majdanu.jpg|thumb|left|Picula in [[Maidan Nezalezhnosti]], Kyiv, in 2014]] On 1 April 2012, as part of preparations for Croatia's full EU membership, [[Croatian Parliament|Sabor]] appointed Picula to the European Parliament as one of the 12 "observer" members from Croatia.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2012-03-30|title=Parliament to welcome Croatian "observer" members {{!}} News {{!}} European Parliament|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20120330IPR42291/parliament-to-welcome-croatian-observer-members|access-date=2021-03-17|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|language=en}}</ref> At the first Croatian [[2013 European Parliament election in Croatia|European Parliament elections in 2013]], he was elected to the remainder of the Parliament's 2009–2014 term, and then again in [[2014 European Parliament election in Croatia|2014]], [[2019 European Parliament election in Croatia|2019]], and [[2024 European Parliament election|2024]]. term.
From the first term MEP Tonino Picula defined two main areas in which he would act during his mandate: the affirmation of Adriatic Croatia as a European region with great potential and, in foreign policy, participation in the creation of European policy towards the southeast of Europe, a region of special interest for Croatia.
During all his mandates, he did not limit himself to those two areas, but acted more broadly, trying to contribute where possible to protect Croatian interests. Some of the topics covered by representative Picula are:
=== Foreign Policy === Picula has been a member of the [[European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs|Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET)]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Members {{!}} Home {{!}} AFET {{!}} Committees {{!}} European Parliament|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/afet/home/members|access-date=2021-03-17|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|language=en}}</ref> since 2013 where he currently serves as a senior member responsible for coordinating the work of the Socialists and Democrats in the Committee.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Our members|url=https://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu/who-we-are/our-members/coordinators|access-date=2021-03-17|website=Socialists & Democrats|language=en}}</ref> He is a substitute member of the [[Committees of the European Parliament|Delegation]] for relations with the United States of America (D-US),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Members {{!}} D-US {{!}} Delegations {{!}} European Parliament|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/delegations/en/d-us/members|access-date=2021-03-17|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|language=en}}</ref> and as such, in June 2020, had been appointed the European Parliament’s first standing rapporteur for relations with the USA.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-06-02|title=Picula appointed EP Rapporteur for US relations|url=https://hr.n1info.com/english/news/a514165-Picula-appointed-EP-Rapporteur-for-US-relations/|access-date=2021-03-17|website=N1|language=hr}}</ref>
Picula has been a strong proponent of the [[Enlargement of the European Union|EU enlargement]], and has held it is EU’s most successful policy and most powerful tool for promoting democracy, prosperity and peace.<ref name="europeanwesternbalkans_2020-04-20">{{Cite web|date=2020-04-20|title=EP Foreign Affairs Committee adopts Picula's recommendations on enlargement|url=https://europeanwesternbalkans.com/2020/04/20/ep-foreign-affairs-committee-adopts-piculas-recommendations-on-enlargement/|access-date=2021-03-17|website=European Western Balkans|language=en-US}}</ref> In November 2019, AFET appointed him to the position of the Rapporteur for Recommendations on the [[Western Balkans]] ahead of the May 2020 Summit in Zagreb.<ref>{{Cite web|title=REPORT on a European Parliament recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the Western Balkans, following the 2020 summit|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-9-2020-0091_EN.html|access-date=2021-03-17|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|language=en}}</ref> The key recommendations of the Report were to ensure that the improved negotiation methodology has the full EU membership as its ultimate goal and that the EU provides clear and predictable rules and criteria and applies them consistently, thereby restoring its credibility.<ref name="europeanwesternbalkans_2020-04-20"/> His dedication to EU – Western Balkans relations is also reflected in his memberships in the Delegation for relations with [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], and [[Kosovo]] (DSEE)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Members {{!}} DSEE {{!}} Delegations {{!}} European Parliament|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/delegations/en/dsee/members|access-date=2021-03-17|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|language=en}}</ref> as well as in the Delegation for relations with Serbia.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Members {{!}} D-RS {{!}} Delegations {{!}} European Parliament|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/delegations/en/d-rs/members|access-date=2021-03-17|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|language=en}}</ref> In 2019 he was named Co-Rapporteur for [[Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance|IPA III Financial Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance]]<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-07-24|title=Croatian MEP appointed rapporteur for pre-accession funding to six countries|url=https://hr.n1info.com/english/news/a421822-Croatian-MEP-appointed-rapporteur-for-pre-accession-funding-to-six-countries/|access-date=2021-03-17|website=N1|language=hr}}</ref> and Standing Rapporteur on [[Montenegro]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=EWB|date=2019-10-22|title=Final EP Rapporteurs revealed: Bilčik for Serbia, Rangel for Bosnia and Herzegovina|url=https://europeanwesternbalkans.com/2019/10/22/final-ep-rapporteurs-revealed-bilcik-for-serbia-rangel-for-bosnia-and-herzegovina/|access-date=2021-03-17|website=European Western Balkans|language=en-US}}</ref> As of January 2020 he is also the Chairman of the Working Group for the Western Balkans, one of the five AFET working groups.<ref>{{Cite web|last=EWB|date=2020-01-10|title=Picula appointed as Chairman of the EP Working Group for the Western Balkans|url=https://europeanwesternbalkans.com/2020/01/10/picula-appointed-as-chairman-of-the-ep-working-group-for-the-western-balkans/|access-date=2021-03-17|website=European Western Balkans|language=en-US}}</ref>
In the current 9th parliamentary term, he was a substitute member in the [[Subcommittee on Security and Defence|Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE)]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Members {{!}} Home {{!}} SEDE {{!}} Committees {{!}} European Parliament|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/sede/home/members|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210701034236/https://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/sede/home/members|archive-date=1 July 2021|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|language=en}}</ref> in the first half of the term, and a full member of the then newly founded Special Committee on Foreign Interference in all Democratic Processes in the European Union, including Disinformation,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Members {{!}} Home {{!}} INGE {{!}} Committees {{!}} European Parliament|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/inge/home/members|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220513003608/https://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/inge/home/members|archive-date=13 May 2022|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|language=en}}</ref> and the [[Euronest Parliamentary Assembly|Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly (PA)]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Members {{!}} DEPA {{!}} Delegations {{!}} European Parliament|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/delegations/en/depa/members|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220425061258/https://www.europarl.europa.eu/delegations/en/depa/members|archive-date=25 April 2022|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|language=en}}</ref>
As vice-president of the [[Delegation of the European Parliament for relations with Southeast Europe]], Tonino Picula went on his first official mission to Albania and Kosovo, and also stayed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and Montenegro. He cooperated with fellow deputies to resolve the long-standing crisis in BiH and the issue of institutional equality of Croats in BiH. Due to the deterioration of the political and security situation, he stayed in [[Kyiv]] and [[Kharkiv]] three times as part of the '''Ad hoc Delegation of the European Parliament'''. At the invitation of the Office of the European Parliament in Washington, he presented Croatia's entry into the EU during talks at the State Department, the Pentagon, Congress, the World Bank and foreign policy foundations.
During the 2019–2024 mandate, Picula was particularly active in the areas of foreign policy, security, and defence. He authored or co-authored ten reports directly related to these topics, focusing on issues such as the European Union’s strategic autonomy, its relations with the United States, and the development of an independent role for the EU in global affairs.
As the EP's permanent rapporteur for relations with the United States, he signed two reports with recommendations to the [[European Council]] and the [[European Commission|Commission]] on how to position themselves in relations with the US. Also, he was responsible for the authorship of the [https://neighbourhood-enlargement.ec.europa.eu/enlargement-policy/strategy-and-reports_en Report on the new EU enlargement strategy] adopted in 2023, and the earlier report on enlargement to the [[Strategy for the Western Balkans|Western Balkans]]. Both reports are key documents for the future and security of Croatia, as a currently exposed EU border member.
Also, Picula was the author of the Report on [[Regional policy of the European Union|cohesion policy]] and regional strategies for the fight against climate change: as administrative units, regions are a particularly important lever in the fight against climate change, and the fight itself is crucial for the long-term security future of the EU. Namely, climate changes, such as droughts that destroy crops and change landscapes, are one of the key drivers of migration, both now and in the future.
As president of the Working Group for the Western Balkans in the EP, author of the Report on the [[Enlargement of the European Union|New European Union Enlargement Strategy]], as rapporteur for Montenegro, and co-rapporteur of the EP for the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans worth 6 billion euros, he makes a key contribution to the European integration of the Western Balkan region, with a special focus on [[Montenegro]]. In the mandate 2019-2024. as the main reporteur, he was the author of three reports on [[Accession of Montenegro to the European Union|Montenegro's progress towards EU membership.]]
Picula had a central role in the management of the [[Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance]] (IPA III) worth 14.2 billion euros for the period 2021-2027, intended to support candidate and potential candidate countries, including [[Montenegro]], [[Albania]], [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], [[Kosovo]], [[North Macedonia]], [[Serbia]] and [[Turkey]]. The focus of IPA III is on key reforms in the rule of law, economic transformations and harmonization with European standards, with the aim of strengthening democracy, socio-economic development and regional cooperation.
==== Strategy against aggression on Ukraine ==== As the coordinator of [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats|S&D]] in the field of foreign policy, Tonino Picula played a key role in creating the Resolution on [[Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russian aggression against Ukraine]]. In his capacity as chief negotiator, Picula had a decisive influence on the Resolution which clearly condemned the invasion of Ukraine and supported its resistance to the aggressor. Picula visited [[Mariupol]] and [[Zaporizhzhia]] immediately before the Russian invasion and Kyiv twice during the war.
The resolution encouraged diplomatic efforts to stop the aggression, provide urgent humanitarian aid to Ukraine and strengthen its defense capabilities. Picula was actively involved in promoting European defense cooperation and support to Ukraine, which led to concrete proposals to strengthen European defense capabilities.
Picula's work on the [https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/RC-9-2024-0253_EN.html Resolution on Russian aggression against Ukraine] emphasizes the need for a decisive response by the European Union to external challenges, which contributed to strengthening Ukraine's position and promoting the fundamental values on which the European Union rests - democracy, justice and respect for international law.
=== Regional Development and Islands Policy === Picula has dedicated much of his parliamentary work to regional development policies with a particular emphasis on European islands. In 2014, he helped establish the European Parliament Intergroup on Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas (SEARICA). After serving a full term as its Vice-Chair in charge of islands, he was elected its Chair in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|title=EP Intergroup Seas, Rivers, Islands & Coastal Areas - Chair and Board|url=http://www.searica.eu/intergroup/chair-and-board|access-date=2021-03-17|website=www.searica.eu}}</ref> Picula gained prominence as island policy champion when in 2016 he secured 2 million EUR for establishing the Clean Energy for EU Islands (CE4EUI) Secretariat through an amendment to the EU budget.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Croatian MEP Tonino Picula Nominated for EU Energy Award|url=https://www.total-croatia-news.com/politics/41457-mep-tonino-picula|access-date=2021-03-17|website=www.total-croatia-news.com|language=en-gb}}</ref> In 2019, Picula proposed two additional amendments worth a total of 4 million euros. After an evaluation by the Commission and lengthy negotiations within the European Parliament and with the Council, Picula secured additional 2 million EUR for the CE4EUI Secretariat, and new 2 million EUR for the same model to be applied to all rural areas.<ref>{{Cite web|title=EU to provide extra funding for clean energy on islands and in rural areas|url=https://glashrvatske.hrt.hr/en/news/politics/eu-to-provide-extra-funding-for-clean-energy-on-islands-and-in-rural-areas/|access-date=2021-03-17|website=The Voice of Croatia}}</ref> Success of these initiatives led to signing of The Memorandum of [[Split, Croatia|Split]] calling for a long-term framework for cooperation to advance the [[energy transition]] for European islands, and the inclusion of the Clean Energy for EU Islands Initiative in the [[European Green Deal]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Clean energy for EU islands initiative will contribute to European Green Deal and economic recovery plan|url=https://ec.europa.eu/info/news/clean-energy-eu-islands-initiative-will-contribute-european-green-deal-and-economic-recovery-plan-2020-jun-24_en|access-date=2021-03-17|website=European Commission - European Commission|language=en}}</ref>
Picula has also been appointed EP Rapporteur for cohesion policy commitments on climate change, which will be one of the most important tools in the coming years when it comes to monitoring whether taxpayers' money is really invested in energy and environmentally sustainable projects and businesses.<ref>{{Cite web|title=REPORT on cohesion policy and regional environment strategies in the fight against climate change|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-9-2021-0034_EN.html|access-date=2021-03-17|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|language=en}}</ref> He is a substitute member of the [[Committee on Regional Development|Committee on Regional Development (REGI)]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Members {{!}} Home {{!}} REGI {{!}} Committees {{!}} European Parliament|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/regi/home/members|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220426032335/https://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/regi/home/members|archive-date=26 April 2022|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|language=en}}</ref> and [[Committee on agriculture and rural development|Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI)]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Members {{!}} Home {{!}} AGRI {{!}} Committees {{!}} European Parliament|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/agri/home/members|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220511223522/https://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/agri/home/members|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|archive-date=11 May 2022|language=en}}</ref> and a member of the European Parliament Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Members {{!}} Intergroup|url=https://www.animalwelfareintergroup.eu/members|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730043853/https://www.animalwelfareintergroup.eu/members|archive-date=30 July 2021|website=www.animalwelfareintergroup.eu}}</ref>
=== Protection of Croatian products and producers === In August 2013, MEP Picula asked the [[European Commission]] to clarify the situation regarding Croatian autochthonous wines: [[Prošek]] and Teran. He pointed out that these are Croatian products whose production is the result of a centuries-old tradition, and whose geographical origin is unquestionable. The position of the Commission was also sought regarding the objection filed by Slovenia related to the Croatian proposal for the registration of Istrian prosciutto. In March 2014, in the European Parliament, he organized the conference and exhibition "Adriatic - colors of originality", where 15 small producers of indigenous Croatian delicacies were informed about product protection at the European level and presented their products in Europe.
The representative Picula helped Teran acquire the protection of authenticity, while the fight for the protection of Prošek is still ongoing. As part of the campaign for the protection of Prošek, he organized numerous informational activities as well as blind tasting tests to show a clear difference between Croatian [[Prošek]] and Italian [[Prosecco]] (Italy objected to the Croatian registration of the traditional name Prošek because they consider it to be a copy of their Prosecco).
Representative Picula tried to protect small producers in several debates in the European Parliament, warning the institutions to respect the will of the majority that is against [[Genetically modified organism|GMO]] production, citing the example of Croatian honey producers who do it in a natural and safe way in a clean environment. He also supported the rejection of the Commission's proposal in the discussion on the production and making available on the market of seeds and other plant reproductive material, as this would contribute to an additional oligopoly of the largest companies.
Picula, as a substitute member of the [[Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs|Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development]] (AGRI), organized a round table in [[Zagreb]] dedicated to the new European Union regulation on labels of origin, which also has an impact on the future of the Croatian Prošek case. The regulation, which is now consolidated into a single legal act, aims to simplify and strengthen the protection of geographical indications and traditional specialties and to strengthen the role of producers in the protection of their products.
Participating in discussions on the [[European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund|European Fisheries Fund]] and asking questions to the European Commission about the allocation of funds to Croatian fishermen, he also warned about the problem of small fishermen whose category is being abolished in accordance with negotiations on EU membership. He called on the European institutions to adjust the legislation in order to preserve the unique heritage of small-scale fishing, and as a continuation of that initiative, he organized a TV panel in Brussels, where representative Guido Milana, vice-president of the Fisheries Committee, announced a revision of European legislation that will elaborate the special nature of small-scale fishing.
=== Parliamentary activities === During the 7th and 8th Parliamentary terms he served as the Chair of the European Parliament delegation for relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo (2014–2019), substitute member of the Delegation to the EU-[[Serbia]] [[Stabilisation and Association Process|Stabilisation and Association]] Parliamentary Committee (2014–2019), and was responsible on behalf of the S&D Group for a number of reports such as those on the Accession Agreements with Ukraine and with Northern Macedonia,<ref>{{Cite web|title=REPORT on the 2016 Commission Report on the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-8-2017-0055_EN.html|access-date=2021-03-17|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|language=en}}</ref> and the European Defence Union.<ref>{{Cite web|title=REPORT on the European Defence Union|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-8-2016-0316_EN.html|access-date=2021-03-17|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|language=en}}</ref> He was briefly a substitute member of [[Committee on Petitions|Committee on Petitions (PETI)]], and Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the [[Union for the Mediterranean]] in 2013 and 2014. From 2014 until 2017, he was also a member of the [[Subcommittee on Security and Defence|Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE)]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=8th parliamentary term {{!}} Tonino PICULA {{!}} MEPs {{!}} European Parliament|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/112744/TONINO_PICULA/history/8|access-date=2021-03-17|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=7th parliamentary term {{!}} Tonino PICULA {{!}} MEPs {{!}} European Parliament|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/112744/TONINO_PICULA/history/7|access-date=2021-03-17|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|language=en}}</ref>
* Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) 2013 - 2024 * Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) 2014 - 2022 * Delegation for relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo (DSEE) 2013 - 2024 * Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly (DEPA) 2014 – 2024 * Committee on Regional Development (REGI) 2014 – 2023 * Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee (D-RS) 2014 - 2024 * Delegation for relations with the United States (D-US) 2020 - 2024 * Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) 2020 - 2024 * Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) 2023 - 2024
=== Office projects ===
==== Watersaving challenge ==== The project was started by MEP Picula in collaboration with [[Christian Pleijel]] from the [[KTH Royal Institute of Technology|Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm]] with the aim of promoting the concept of smart islands and establishing them as a source of sustainable water saving solutions. The project did not consider increasing the water supply as a solution to the problem, but ways to reduce the demand for water - so the focus was not on the consequences but on the causes of the shortage.
8 European islands participated in it (two each from Croatia, Greece, Ireland and France), and already in the first year (2017) it received the Greening the Islands Award! As the crown of the research and the result of the analysis, a [https://toninopicula.com/downloads/wasac_booklet_ENG.pdf Guide for smart water management] was created, as well as an interactive website that guided the interested island municipalities through the water saving project. Picula's office actively assisted all island communities on this path until 2022, when the project formally ended.
==== Fighting the fake news ==== Two of Tonino Picula's initiatives are aimed at combating misinformation and promoting media literacy, among young people and among the retired population. The goal was to raise awareness of the consequences of the spread of misinformation and encourage the development of critical thinking.
"Kidalica lažnih vijesti" reached over one hundred thousand young people - as part of the project, informative events and prize competitions were organized, with a focus on educating young people in recognizing and verifying information, rewarding the most successful with a study visit to Brussels.
"Hodalica kroz lažne vijesti" continued its educational mission, focusing on the elderly population. Through lectures and educational films, senior citizens were educated on recognizing fake news and misinformation, with a special emphasis on digital literacy. In six retirement homes across Croatia, including Rijeka, Vrgorac, Zadar, Zagreb, Šibenik and Konavle, the lectures were attended by as many as 350 seniors. The project also included the prize competition "Send a nona (grandma) or a dida (grandpa) to Brussels", promoting inter-generational cooperation. Nick's Titanic caricatures added a humorous element to the campaign, making education more accessible.
== Recognition == In 2017, The Water Saving Project, initiated and coordinated with the European Small Island Federation and funded by MEP Picula, was awarded the “Greening the Islands Award”.<ref>{{Cite web|title=4th International Conference - Favignana|url=http://www.greeningtheislands.net/index.php/4th-international-conference-favignana/|access-date=2021-03-17|website=Greening The Islands|language=en-US}}</ref> The project aimed at taking action at the other end of the water problem: instead of encouraging water production, it aimed to reduce the use of freshwater through clever communication, smart engineering and wise governance, keeping in mind possible disadvantages such measures might have on people and businesses. The project initially gathered 8 islands from 4 different EU member states: Lastovo and Vis from Croatia, Houat and Sein from France, Ithaka and Tilos from Greece, Cape Clear and [[Inis Oirr]] from Ireland.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Water Saving Challenge|url=https://www.watersavingislands.com/what-we-do|access-date=2021-03-17|website=Water Saving Islands|language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2018, Picula was voted “MEP of the year” by the European Small Island Federation, an organization representing 359,000 islanders on 1,640 small European islands.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Rhoda|date=2017-11-05|title=We found our favorite MEP|url=https://europeansmallislands.com/2017/11/05/we-found-our-favorite-mep/|access-date=2021-03-17|website=ESIN|language=en}}</ref>
In 2020, Picula was nominated for the Energy Award by the [[Parliament Magazine]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Shortlist {{!}} MEP Awards|url=http://www.mepawards.eu/shortlist|access-date=2021-03-17|website=www.mepawards.eu|language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{commons category-inline}} * Biography at [https://web.archive.org/web/20070803020719/http://www.javno.com/hr/hrvatska/clanak.php?id=49369 Javno.com]
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=[[Mate Granić]]}} {{s-ttl|title={{0}}{{0}}{{0}}{{0}}[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration (Croatia)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]]{{0}}{{0}}{{0}}{{0}}|years=2000–2003}} {{s-aft|after=[[Miomir Žužul]]}} {{s-bef|before=Franjo Sever}} {{s-ttl|title={{0}}Mayor of [[Velika Gorica]]{{0}}|years=2005–2009}} {{s-aft|after=[[Dražen Barišić]]}} {{s-end}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Picula, Tonino}} [[Category:1961 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Mali Lošinj]] [[Category:Social Democratic Party of Croatia politicians]] [[Category:Foreign ministers of Croatia]] [[Category:Mayors of places in Croatia]] [[Category:Croatian diplomats]] [[Category:Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb alumni]] [[Category:MEPs for Croatia 2013–2014]] [[Category:Social Democratic Party of Croatia MEPs]] [[Category:MEPs for Croatia 2014–2019]] [[Category:MEPs for Croatia 2019–2024]] [[Category:MEPs for Croatia 2024–2029]] [[Category:Military personnel of the Croatian War of Independence]]