Born in Krosswitz (Wartheland), Dr. Günter Ortwin Burghardt studied law, economy and political science in Hamburg, Strasbourg, Paris and London. He worked as Research Associate at the University of Hamburg (Department of European law) and as tutor at the Europa-Kolleg in Hamburg from 1966 to 1970, completing his PhD thesis on “The Regimes of Property in the Member Countries and the EEC Treaty: A Contribution to the Interpretation of Article 222 of the EEC Treaty” in 1969.

After an internship in the Directorate-General for External Relations at the European Commission in Brussels in 1968, Günter Burghardt joined the European Commission in 1970 and held various positions therein until 2005. Between 1970 and 1972, he was member of the European Commission’s legal service, and, between 1972 and 1980, worked in the Directorate-General for External Relations (among others, as desk officer for relations with the USA, Canada, Australia). From 1978 onwards, he was also assistant to the Director-General Sir Roy Denman. From 1981 to 1984, Günter Burghardt was Deputy Head of Cabinet to Karl-Heinz Narjes, Member of the Commission for the Internal Market, Environment Protection, Nuclear Safety, and Innovation. He was then, from 1985 to 1988, Deputy Head of Cabinet to the Commission’s President Jacques Delors, with particular responsibility for external and development policies, relations with the European Parliament and Staff management. In 1988, Günter Burghardt was appointed Director at the Secretariat-General as well as Political Director (under the direct authority of President Delors), a position he held until 1993. In 1993-1994, he was Director General of the newly created External Political Relations DG under the authority of President Jacques Delors and Commissioner Hans van den Broek.

Under the authority of President Jacques Santer and Commissioner Hans van den Broek, he was then, between 1995 and 1999, Political Director and Director-general for External Relations with particular responsibility for Europe and the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). Under President Romano Prodi, Günter Burghardt was in 1999 Director-General for External Relations under Commissioner Chris Patten. Between 2000 and 2005, he acted as Ambassador, Head of the European Commission’s Delegation in the USA (Washington DC).

Leaving the Commission’s services in 2005, Günter Burghardt also joined the global law firm Mayer Brown International in 2005, where he focuses on the government relations aspects in legal affairs pertaining to regulatory matters, trade policy issues, and antitrust. He was also, from 2005 to 2012, visiting Professor at Ghent University (Law Faculty) and at the College of Europe in Bruges.

Günter Burghardt is member of the Advisory Board of several associations including: Friends of Europe; Transatlantic Policy Network; European Institute in Washington DC; Itinera Institute Belgium. He is also Vice-President of the EU-Russia Centre and of the Club of Rome EU Chapter. Finally, he is member of the American Chamber of Commerce to the EU, of the German Economic Council and of the Kangaroo Group.

Günter Burghardt received several medals, including: the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (First class) ("Bundesverdienstkreuz 1. Klasse"); the Robert Schuman Medal of the European Commission; and the Europe Medal of the State of Bavaria (Germany).