Joop Atsma

Joop Atsma
Member of the Senate
Incumbent
Assumed office 9 June 2015
State Secretary for Infrastructure and the Environment
In office 14 October 2010 – 5 November 2012
Prime Minister	Mark Rutte
Preceded by	Tineke Huizinga
Succeeded by	Wilma Mansveld
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 19 May 1998 – 14October 2010
Personal details
Born	Johannes Jan Atsma (1956-07-06) 6 July 1956 Surhuisterveen, Netherlands
Nationality	Dutch
Political party	Christian Democratic Appeal
Spouse(s)	Tea van der Schaaf (since 1982)
Residence	Surhuisterveen, Netherlands
Alma mater	University of Groningen (not completed)
Occupation	Politician, sport administrator, journalist
Religion	Protestant Church in the Netherlands
Website	Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment

Johannes Jan "Joop" Atsma (born 6 July 1956) is a Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal party (CDA). Since 9 June 2015, he has been a member of the Senate.

Atsma was the State Secretary for Infrastructure and the Environment in the first Rutte cabinet, serving from 14 October 2010 to 5 November 2012. He previously served as a Member of the House of Representatives from 19 May 1998 until 14 October 2010.

Biography

Joop Atsma is the son of dairy farmer Pieter Atsma and Tjitske van der Meer. After secondary school, he began to study history to the University of Groningen, but he did not complete his studies.

In 1978 he began his career as a journalist, he worked for the Netherlands Broadcasting Foundation (NOS), Friesch Dagblad, News of the North and Omrop Fryslân.

From 1989 worked at the KNWU Straatsma, first as an amateur cycling section president and later as chairman. In the Olympic Games in Seoul (1988) Barcelona (1992) Atlanta (1996) and Sydney (2000) Atsma was chef d'equipe of cycling. In 2009, Joop Atsma appointed chairman of the Road Committee of the International cycling body UCI. This committee is responsible for such regulation of wegsport, admitting teams, fixture lists and qualification criteria for World Championships and Olympic Games. Atsma 178ste during the meeting of the International Cycling Union in Lugano in 2009 again elected to the Board of the Union Cycliste Internationale. From 1994 to 2006 he was chairman of the Royal Dutch Cycling Union.

Atsma began his political career as a member of the Provincial States of Friesland. In 1998, Atsma was elected to the House. He took his oath in the Frisian language. In parliament he was involved with sports, agriculture, food, media and mining. He was also chairman of the Standing Committee for Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and vice chair of the standing committee on Health, Welfare and Sports. On October 14, 2010 Atsma was appointed State Secretary for Infrastructure and Environment in the government-Rutte. Because of this appointment Atsma at that date resigned all paid and unpaid (side) functions and took distance from relevant business and financial interests.

References

• (Dutch) Parlement.com biography