MalcolmHarbour, West MidlandsConservative MEP will be leaving the European Parliament in July 2014 after the next European elections.
Mr Harbour first entered the European Parliament in 1999, being re-elected in 2004 and 2009. Since 2009 he has served as Chairman of the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee, influencing the direction of the Single Market.
Commenting Mr Harbour said: “After considerable reflection, I have decided that I will leave the European Parliament at the end of my current mandate in 2014.
“Since my election for the first time in June 1999, I have greatly enjoyed my time in the European Parliament. In particular, it has given me extraordinary opportunities to represent my home region, the West Midlands, to get to know so many friendly people, to visit so many interesting places, and to develop my knowledge of an extraordinary range of businesses.
“It has been a special privilege to be the first European Parliamentary Committee Chairman from the ECR group, and to demonstrate the positive and influential role that Conservatives and Reformists can play. But I now feel that, after five very fruitful and demanding years leading a committee, it is the right time to move on to new challenges.
“After I leave the parliament, I am looking forward to spending quality time with my wife Penny, who has given me such fantastic support throughout my political career. Not to mention seeing more of my four fast growing grand children. But it will also be good to explore ways in which I can share my experiences from European politics and business.
“Of course, I will continue to represent constituents across the West Midlands to my best of my ability until July 2014, when my mandate officially ends.”