Career Kjartan Jóhannsson

1 career

1.1 professional work
1.2 political career
1.3 diplomatic career

career
professional work

kjartan taught @ reykjavík junior college during 1963 working part-time engineering consultancy , icelandic road administration 1963 1965. 1966 1978, ran own consulting firm in fields of planning, management , operations research. lecturer @ university of iceland in department of science , engineering 1966 1974, before being appointed associate professor in department of economics , business administration. position kept 1974 1989, leave of absence 1978 1980 while minister of fisheries , commerce. kjartan among pioneers of operations research in iceland. in 1967, along 2 other academics, wrote first ever computerized prediction program parliamentary elections in iceland. kjartan appointed honorary member of operations research society of iceland in 2006.

political career

kjartan elected executive council of social democratic party of iceland in 1972 , vice chairman 1974. year elected municipal council of township of hafnarfjörður on behalf of party. became member of althing (alþingi) in 1978, , re-elected 3 times, in 1979, 1983, , 1987. appointed position of minister of fisheries in 1978, kjartan became known controversial views of conservation, more regarding over-fishing , over-investment in fisheries sector. put moratorium on investment in new fishing vessels , stopped fishing of select species over-fishing evident , advocated quota system in fisheries. notably put total stop on capelin fishing @ point scientists evaluated remaining spawning stock had been brought down 400 thousand tons. has remained benchmark ever since. minister of fisheries, vocal spokesman iceland in conflict norway on capelin fishing rights, north of iceland jan mayen area. minister of commerce, in 1979, kjartan abolished import restrictions on confectionery, bread , biscuits, making trade free, caused turmoil initially.

he voted chairman of social democratic party in 1980, after challenging sitting chairman, benedikt gröndal, withdrew candidacy. kjartan’s period chair tumultuous. fraction of party under leadership of vilmundur gylfason broke away before parliamentary elections in 1983, forming alliance of social democrats , leading great loss of votes social democratic party. in following year kjartan lost re-election chairman jón baldvin hannibalsson.

during period of 1986–89, kjartan chaired committees , working groups proposing reforms in taxation; introducing pay-as-you-go in income tax (termed income tax withholding in u.s.), replacing sales tax value added tax, , reforming housing loans. furthermore, chaired committee evaluation of development of european integration, in particular regarding eu s internal market. in 1988, kjartan elected speaker of lower chamber of althing, position remained in until 1989.

he member of parliamentary committee of efta 1985 1989, , chairman 1985 1986. took leading role in committee drafting recommendation ministerial council of efta positive response so-called delors initiative closer relationship between efta , eu.

he initiator , in leading role in committee on policy-making recommendation efta ministers proceed towards complete liberarization in intra efta trade in fish, adopted in hamar 24 june 1987, after 2 years of discussion.

diplomatic career

kjartan appointed ambassador , permanent representative of iceland un , other international organizations in geneva in 1989. in capacity, became member of council of efta. chair 1989–90 , took part in drafting formal position of efta newly gained freedom of countries of eastern , central europe, efta invited these countries negotiations on free trade agreements. in capacity, on icelandic negotiating team establishment of european economic area (eea).

he represented iceland in uruguay round in general agreement on tariffs , trade (gatt) conclusion @ ministerial meeting in marrakesh , establishment of wto successor gatt. in ministerial meeting in geneva on 16 june 1993 ministers of efta countries austria, switzerland, norway, sweden, finland, iceland, , liechtenstein decided appoint kjartan next secretary general of efta, making him first icelander head international organization. entered office on 1 september 1994 @ time of great uncertainty efta s future. when 3 of member countries joined eu, efta secretariat had radically reorganized, reducing staff more half while still maintaining efta portion of eea agreement. during time, efta expanded network of free trade agreements in europe , beyond. after 6 years secretary general, kjartan rejoined icelandic foreign service , worked prepare iceland upcoming negotiations eu on modifications of eea agreement upon admission of eastern , central european countries eu. in 2002 kjartan appointed ambassador belgium, lichtenstein, luxemburg , morocco chief of mission eu , chief negotiator on behalf of iceland in mentioned negotiations. remained in post until november 2005, when returned iceland retirement.