Advanced school-leaving certificate (1973). Studied social sciences (specialising in economics, statistics, sociology etc.) (1974-78).

Teaching assistant (1973-74). Part-time jobs, including work for Copenhagen City Council (1975-78). Secretary-General of Social Democratic Youth of Denmark (DSU) (1978-1982). International secretary of the Danish Specialist Workers' Union (SID) (1982-1998). Member of the Danish Parliament, Chair of the Danish Parliament's European Affairs Committee (1998-2005). Director of the Forum for International Cooperation (FIC) (since 2005). Member of the S&D Group in the European Parliament (December 2013 - July 2014).

Various honorary posts in DSU and the Danish Social Democrats, and youth work in the trade unions HK and SID (now 3F) and the Danish Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) (1975-1978), at local, regional and national level. Secretary-General of DSU. Member of the National Executive of the Danish Social Democrats. Member of the International Affairs Committee, the European Affairs Committee, the Integration Committee and the Organisation, Work and Principles Committee of the Danish Social Democrats (1978-1982). Member of committees in the Danish Social Democrats including the International Affairs Committee (since 1983). President of the child, youth and family welfare organisation DUI Leg og Virke. Chair of the governing body of the Billehave (Middelfart) Efterskole (boarding school offering general education to pupils aged 14-18) and governing body posts in the Efterskoler in Blykobbe (Bornholm) and Bisnapgård (Hals). Member of the national executive of the Danish Social Democrats (1983-91). Member of the Danish Parliament (1998-2005). Prospective Member of the European Parliament on list of candidates for parliamentary elections. First substitute on electoral list for the European Parliament (2009). MEP (December 2013 to July 2014).

Honorary posts in the Secretariats of 23 Nordic, European and international trade unions (1982-98).

Chair of the European Affairs Committee of the Danish Parliament, with a key position in the enlargement negotiations during Denmark's Presidency of the Council. Spokesman on European affairs. Spokesman on foreign policy. Member of the Foreign Policy Committee. Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Member of the Business Committee. Member of the Committee on Enlargement. Member of the Housing Committee. Danish Parliament representative on the Convention for the Charter of Fundamental Rights. Danish Parliament representative at the WTO Council of Ministers conferences in Singapore and Seattle. Personal representative of the Danish Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen in the Balkan countries during the Kosovo conflict, with a view to preparing the Balkan countries for membership of the European Union (1998-2005).

Convention for the Charter of Fundamental Rights. Chairman of COSAC (2002).

Council of European National Youth Committees (CENYC). ETUC Youth (1975-78). Chair of the European Youth Forum's Committee on the social conditions of young people (1978-1980). Member of executive and Chair of the Nordic Social Democratic youth organisation FNSU (1978-1982). Member of the Board of Directors, the Social Affairs Committee and the Education Committee of Solidar (2005).

Member of the Control Commission of the International Union of Socialist Youth (1978-82). International Falcon Movement - Socialist Education International, IFM-SEI (1983-91).

Very large number of honorary positions in many different Danish NGOs, and board member and/or chair of three smaller cooperative undertakings (a publishing house, a printing firm and a building firm) and currently a self-publishing operation as member of a book publishing firm (since 1970).