12 Facts About Joe Borg

Joseph Borg was born on 19 March 1952 and is a Maltese politician and diplomat.

Joe Borg graduated Doctor of Laws in Malta in 1975 and Master of Laws in Wales in 1988.

Since 1979, Joe Borg held various academic posts at the University of Malta, mainly focusing on company law, industrial law and European law.

Joe Borg held various posts as legal adviser to companies and corporate bodies in Malta and other countries.

Joe Borg began his career in politics as an advisor to the Foreign Minister on European Union matters from 1989 until 1995.

Joe Borg was elected to Parliament in 1995 as a member of the Nationalist Party.

Joe Borg later served as Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1998 to 1999 and was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1999.

Joe Borg held this post until he was nominated Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs in 2004, upon Malta's accession to the EU.

Joe Borg courted controversy among environmental groups by fiercely opposing the ban on the sale of Bluefin tuna, an increasingly rare fish which sells for thousands of pounds in Japan.

Joe Borg commented to the Times of Malta that "it is thanks to a lot of hard work at my level and at my staff's level that many of the proposals that are agreed by the commission took into account Maltese sensitivities".

Joe Borg is married to Isabelle with whom he has two children, Joseph and Clara.

Joe Borg was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Essex in July 2003.