Stephen Hughes graduated in Municipal Administration in 1975. Hughes became Member of the European Parliament in 1999 and remained an MEP until 2014. During that time he was member of the Socialist Group, member of the Group of the Party of European Socialists, member of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament, member of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, Chair of the Committee on Social Affairs and Employment, Chair of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, Vice-Chair of the Delegation for relations with Poland, member of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection, member of the Delegation for relations with the United States, member of the Committee on Social Affairs, Employment and the Working Environment, member of the Delegation for relations with Japan, member of the Committee on Social Affairs and Employment, member of the Delegation for relations with Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova, member of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, member of the Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, member of the Delegation for relations with the countries of Central America, member of the Delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China and member of the Special Committee on the Financial, Economic and Social Crisis.