View source for Josep Borrell

{{short description|Spanish politician (born 1947)}}
{{family name hatnote|Borrell|Fontelles|lang=Spanish}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Josep Borrell
| image               = Josep Borrell (49468484246).jpg
| caption             = Official portrait, 2020
| office              = [[Vice-President of the European Commission]]
| term_start          = 1 December 2019
| term_end            = 30 November 2024
| 1blankname          = Commission
| 1namedata           = [[Von der Leyen Commission I|Von der Leyen I]]
| predecessor         = [[Federica Mogherini]]
| successor           = [[Kaja Kallas]] 
| office1             = [[High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy|High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy]]
| predecessor1        = [[Federica Mogherini]]
| term_start1         = 1 December 2019
| term_end1           = 30 November 2024
| successor1          = [[Kaja Kallas]] 
| office2             = [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Spain)|Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation]]
| primeminister2      = [[Pedro Sánchez]]
| term_start2         = 7 June 2018
| term_end2           = 30 November 2019
| predecessor2        = [[Alfonso Dastis]]<br />{{small|([[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Spain)|Foreign Affairs and Cooperation]])}}
| successor2          = [[Margarita Robles]]<br />{{small|(acting)}}
| office3             = [[President of the European Parliament]]
| term_start3         = 20 July 2004
| term_end3           = 16 January 2007
| predecessor3        = [[Pat Cox]]
| successor3          = [[Hans-Gert Pöttering]]
| office4             = [[Ministry of Development (Spain)|Minister of Public Works and Environment]]
| primeminister5      = [[Felipe González]]
| term_start5         = 12 March 1991
| term_end5           = 6 May 1996
| predecessor5        = [[Javier Sáenz de Cosculluela]]
| successor5          = [[Rafael Arias-Salgado]]
| office6             = [[Leader of the Opposition (Spain)|Leader of the Opposition]]
| primeminister6      = [[José María Aznar]]
| term_start6         = 26 May 1998
| term_end6           = 14 May 1999
| predecessor6        = [[Joaquín Almunia]]
| successor6          = [[Joaquín Almunia]]
| office7             = [[Member of the European Parliament]]<br />for [[Spain (European Parliament constituency)|Spain]]
| term_start7         = 13 June 2004
| term_end7           = 7 June 2009
| office8             = [[Member of the Congress of Deputies]]
| constituency8       = [[Barcelona (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Barcelona]]
| term_start8         = 15 July 1986
| term_end8           = 2 April 2004
| birth_name          = Josep Borrell Fontelles
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1947|4|24|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[La Pobla de Segur]], Spain
| citizenship         = {{ubl|Spain|Argentina (since 2019)}}
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party|Spanish Socialist Workers']] (since 1975)
| otherparty          = [[Party of European Socialists]]
| spouse              = Carolina Mayeur ({{Abbr|div.|divorced}})<br />{{marriage|[[Cristina Narbona]]|2018}}
| children            = 2
| education           = [[Technical University of Madrid]] (BS)<br />[[Complutense University of Madrid|Complutense University]] (PhD)<br />[[Stanford University]] (MS)<br />[[French Institute of Petroleum]] (Postgraduate)
| module              = {{Listen|pos=center|embed=yes|filename=Josep Borrell voice.ogg|title=Josep Borrell's voice|type=speech|description=Borrell's speech following the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]]<br/>Recorded 24 February 2022}}
}}

'''Josep Borrell Fontelles''' ({{IPA|ca|dʒuˈzɛb boˈreʎ fonˈteʎes|label=Western Catalan:}}; born 24 April 1947) is a Spanish politician who served as [[High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy]] and [[Vice-President of the European Commission]] from 2019 to 2024. A member of the [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party]] (PSOE), he served as [[President of the European Parliament]] from 2004 to 2007 and as Spain's [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Spain)|Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation]] from 2018 to 2019.

Born and raised in the Catalan village of [[La Pobla de Segur]], Borrell is an aeronautical engineer and economist by training as well as a professor of mathematics. He entered politics in the 1970s as a member of the PSOE during [[Spanish transition to democracy|Spain's transition to democracy]], and went on to serve in several positions during the governments of [[Felipe González]], first within the Ministry of Economy and Finance as General Secretary for the Budget and Public Spending (1982–1984) and Secretary of State for Finance (1984–1991), then joining the [[Council of Ministers (Spain)|Council of Ministers]] as [[Ministry of Development (Spain)|Minister of Public Works and Transport]] (1991–1996). In the opposition after the 1996 election, Borrell unexpectedly won the PSOE primary in 1998 and became [[Leader of the Opposition (Spain)|Leader of the Opposition]] and the designated prime ministerial candidate of the party until he resigned in 1999. He then switched to European politics, becoming a [[Member of the European Parliament]] (MEP) during the 2004–2009 legislative period and serving as [[President of the European Parliament]] for the first half of the term.

He returned to the [[Council of Ministers (Spain)|Council of Ministers]] in June 2018, when he was appointed [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Spain)|Minister of Foreign Affairs, the European Union and Cooperation]] in the [[Sánchez I Government|Sánchez government]]. In July 2019, Borrell was announced as the [[European Council]]'s nominee to be appointed [[High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy]]. He took office in December 2019.

==Early life and career==
Josep (or José){{refn|group=n.|He has authored books using both variants of the name ([[José]] and [[Josep]]). He is sometimes [[Hypocorism|hypocoristically]] referred to as 'Pepe' Borrell.}} Borrell Fontelles was born on 24 April 1947 in the Catalan village of [[La Pobla de Segur]], [[province of Lleida]], near the [[Pyrenees]], son of Joan Borrell (father) and Luisa Fontelles Doll (mother).<ref name=pobladesegur>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.elmundo.es/cronica/2018/09/16/5b9ccdb9e2704e73588b45b4.html|journal=[[El Mundo (Spain)|El Mundo]]|title=El pueblo que quiere borrar a Borrell|first=Leyre|last=Iglesias|date=16 September 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1986/09/13/029.html|journal=[[ABC (Spain)|ABC]]|title=Luisa Fontelles Doll|date=13 September 1986|location=Madrid|page=29}}</ref> He grew up in the village, where his father owned a small bakery.<ref name="auto">Martin Banks (14 July 2004), [https://www.politico.eu/article/parliaments-head-boy/ Parliament's head boy] ''[[European Voice]]''.</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /> His paternal grandparents were Spanish immigrants in [[Argentina]], where they ran a bakery in the city of [[Mendoza, Argentina|Mendoza]], close to the [[General San Martín Park]].<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://red.diariocritico.com/noticia/1522547/argentina/borrell-ceno-con-el-gobernador-mendocino-y-condecoro-al-empresario-murciano-felipe-andreu-.html|journal=Diariocritico|title=Borrell cenó con el gobernador mendocino y condecoró al empresario murciano Felipe Andreu|date=23 March 2019}}</ref> They returned to Spain when Joan Borrell, Josep's father, was eight years old.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1998/05/02/espana/894060004_850215.html| journal=[[El País]]|date=2 May 1998|first=Milagros|last=Pérez Oliva|title=Un catalán del Pirineo que quiere conquistar España}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/politica/20190718/463580268300/borrell-asume-doble-nacionalidad-espanola-argentina.html|title=El ministro Josep Borrell la doble nacionalidad española y argentina|date=18 July 2019|website=La Vanguardia|access-date=18 July 2019}}</ref> Borrell's father arrived in Spain just before the outbreak of the [[Spanish Civil War]] and afterwards he would never leave his village of La Pobla de Segur.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/politica/2019/07/17/actualidad/1563361959_638114.html|title=Borrell adquiere la doble nacionalidad argentina y española|last=Alberola|first=Miquel|date=17 July 2019|work=El País|access-date=18 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref>

After completing primary education, the remote location of his village led Josep Borrell to be home-schooled with aid from his mother and a retired teacher, taking the official [[Spanish Baccalaureate|Baccalaureate]] exams at the [[Lleida]] high school.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /> He continued his higher education thanks to several scholarships, including from the [[Fundación Juan March|Juan March Foundation]] and the [[Fulbright Program]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1998/04/25/espana/893455205_850215.html|title=La brillante carrera del hijo del panadero|date=25 April 1998|work=El País|access-date=18 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref><ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.efe.com/efe/espana/sociedad/el-rey-entrega-a-barbacid-premio-del-60-aniversario-de-las-becas-fulbright/10004-3782257|title=El Rey entrega a Barbacid el premio del 60 aniversario de las becas Fulbright|website=www.efe.com|language=es|access-date=18 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/FulbrightSpain/status/1004687542061621249|title=Orgullosos de Josep #Borrell , #Fulbrighter (@Stanford 1974), que asume la cartera de @MAECgob y de su apoyo al programa @FulbrightSpain #FulbrightSpain60 #Masqueunabeca |last=España|first=Fulbright|date=7 June 2018|website=@FulbrightSpain|language=es|access-date=18 July 2019}}</ref> In 1964 he moved to [[Barcelona]] to study industrial engineering, but left after a year in 1965 to study aeronautical engineering at the [[Technical University of Madrid]] (UPM),<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /> graduating in 1969. In the summer of 1969 Borrell worked as volunteer at the [[Gal On]] [[kibbutz]] in Israel, where he met his future French wife Caroline Mayeur,<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aurora-israel.co.il/feroz-con-israel-y-carinoso-con-iran-preocupacion-en-jerusalen-por-el-inminente-nombramiento-de-borrell-en-la-ue|publisher=Aurora Israel|title=Feroz con Israel y cariñoso con Irán: preocupación en Jerusalén por el inminente nombramiento de Borrell en la UE|date=4 July 2019|access-date=17 July 2019|archive-date=17 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717231148/http://www.aurora-israel.co.il/feroz-con-israel-y-carinoso-con-iran-preocupacion-en-jerusalen-por-el-inminente-nombramiento-de-borrell-en-la-ue|url-status=dead}}</ref> from whom he is now divorced.

During this time, he also began to study for a bachelor's degree and later a PhD in economics at the [[Complutense University|Complutense University of Madrid]] (UCM). Borrell also holds a master's degree in applied mathematics (operations research) from [[Stanford University]] in Palo Alto (California, US), and a postgraduate in energy economics from the [[French Institute of Petroleum]] in Paris (France).<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Portal/en/Ministerio/Ministro/Paginas/Biografia.aspx|title=Biography|website=www.exteriores.gob.es|access-date=17 July 2019|archive-date=17 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317233548/http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Portal/en/Ministerio/Ministro/Paginas/Biografia.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> In May 1976 Borrell defended his [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]] thesis in economics at the [[Complutense University of Madrid|UCM]].<ref name=":9" /><ref name=":10">{{Cite thesis|title=Aplicaciones de la teoría del control óptimo a la planificación económica|url=https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/tesis?codigo=134699|publisher=Universidad Complutense de Madrid|date=1976|degree=PhD|language=es|first=Josep Borrell|last=Fontelles}}</ref>

From 1972 to 1982 he lectured in mathematics at the Higher Technical School of Aeronautical Engineering of the [[Polytechnic University of Madrid|UPM]].<ref name=":0" /> In 1982 he was appointed associate professor of Business Mathematics at the [[University of Valladolid]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1982-15530|title=BOE.es – Documento BOE-A-1982-15530|website=www.boe.es|access-date=17 July 2019}}</ref> From 1975 to 1982 he also worked for [[Cepsa]], employed at the company's Department of Systems and Information Engineering; he combined this activity with the teaching of university classes and involvement in local politics.<ref name=":2">{{cite news|title=Biografía de José Borrell|date=14 May 1999|newspaper=[[El Mundo (Spain)|El Mundo]]|url=https://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/1999/mayo/14/nacional/borrellbiografia.html}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.tstrevista.com/tstpdf/tst_02/dossier6_02.pdf|page=238|first=Rodolfo|last=Ramos Melero|title=El camino de España hacia la Unión Europea (1975–2001)|journal=TST: Transportes, Servicios y Telecomunicaciones|issn=1578-5777|issue=2|year=2002<!--|pages=227-265-->|access-date=17 July 2019|archive-date=17 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717224003/http://www.tstrevista.com/tstpdf/tst_02/dossier6_02.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nuevaeconomiaforum.org/ponentes/josep-borrell-0|publisher=Nueva Economía Fórum|title=Josep Borrell|access-date=17 July 2019|archive-date=27 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210627191644/http://www.nuevaeconomiaforum.org/ponentes/josep-borrell-0|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.abc.es/espana/abci-josep-borrell-europeista-largo-recorrido-201907021922_noticia.html|journal=[[ABC (Spain)|ABC]]|title=Josep Borrell: un europeísta de largo recorrido|date=2 July 2019}}</ref>

==Political career==
=== Involvement in local politics ===
Borrell joined the [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party]] (PSOE) in 1975 and started his political activity during [[Spanish transition to democracy|Spain's transition to democracy]] in the [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party of the Community of Madrid|Socialist Grouping of Madrid]] along with [[Luis Solana]] and [[Luis Carlos Croissier]].<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.abc.es/hemeroteca/historico-20-07-2004/abc/Ultima/borrell-tercer-presidente-espa%C3%B1ol-del-pe_9622666454866.html|journal=[[ABC (Spain)|ABC]]|date=20 July 2004|title=Borrell, tercer presidente español del PE}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|journal=[[El País]]|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1997/06/23/espana/867016803_850215.html|title=Un 55% de caras nuevas en la ejecutiva del PSOE|date=23 June 1997 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|journal=El Siglo de Europa|title=Duelo de exministros|date=31 May 2004|url=http://www.elsiglodeuropa.es/siglo/historico/politica/politica2004/605duelo.htm|issue=605|author=T. L|author2=A. P V|access-date=25 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612140320/http://www.elsiglodeuropa.es/siglo/historico/politica/politica2004/605duelo.htm|archive-date=12 June 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> He ran for office as the number 5 in the PSOE list for the [[1979 Spanish local elections|1979 municipal election]] in [[Majadahonda]], becoming city councillor. Borrell also became a member of the 1979–1983 corporation of the [[Provincial deputation (Spain)|Provincial Deputation]] of Madrid and managed the Financial Department of the provincial government body in the pre-autonomic period.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/1999/mayo/14/nacional/borrellbiografia.html|date=14 May 1999|title=Biografía de José Borrell|journal=[[El Mundo (Spain)|El Mundo]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://politica.elpais.com/politica/2018/06/05/actualidad/1528198130_707037.html|journal=[[El País]]|date=5 June 2018|title=Josep Borrell, ministro de Exteriores|first=Anabel|last=Díez}}</ref><ref>{{Smallcaps|Junta Electoral de Zona de San Lorenzo del Escorial}}: {{Cite journal|page=4|journal=Boletín Oficial de la Provincia de Madrid|issue=55|date=6 March 1979|url=http://bibliotecavirtualmadrid.org/bvmadrid_publicacion/i18n/catalogo_imagenes/grupo.cmd?path=1124310|title=Candidaturas}}</ref>

=== Role during the González's governments ===
[[File:Eduardo Sotillos ofrece la rueda de prensa posterior al Consejo de Ministros junto al secretario de Estado de Hacienda. Pool Moncloa. 18 de abril de 1984.jpeg|thumb|left|Borrell, Secretary of State of Finance, next to [[Eduardo Sotillos]], Spokesman of the Government, in [[La Moncloa]], 1984]]
In the [[1982 Spanish general election|1982 general election]] the PSOE won a landslide victory, returning the socialists to power for the first time since the years of the [[Spanish Second Republic|Second Republic]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1982/10/29/portada/404694001_850215.html|title=El Partido Socialista, con 201 escaños, consigue la mayoría absoluta para gobernar la nación|date=29 October 1982|work=El País|access-date=17 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1982/10/30/espana/404780403_850215.html|title=El PSOE obtiene casi diez millones de votos y logra la mayoría absoluta en las dos Cámaras|date=30 October 1982|work=El País|access-date=17 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref> Under Prime Minister [[Felipe González]], Borrell was appointed to several prominent positions within the Ministry of Economy and Finance, first as General Secretary for the Budget and Public Spending (1982–1984),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1982-32320|title=BOE.es – Documento BOE-A-1982-32320|website=www.boe.es|access-date=17 July 2019}}</ref> and then as Secretary of State for Finance (1984–1991).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1984-2677|title=BOE.es – Documento BOE-A-1984-2677|website=www.boe.es|access-date=17 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1991-7058|title=BOE.es – Documento BOE-A-1991-7058|website=www.boe.es|access-date=17 July 2019}}</ref> During his tenure as Secretary of State for Finance, Spain joined the [[European Economic Community]] in 1986. He became known for his actions seeking to combat fraud and [[tax evasion]], going after the rich and famous, including celebrities such as [[Lola Flores]], [[Marujita Díaz]] or Pedro Ruiz.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1991/03/12/espana/668732410_850215.html|title=Reportaje {{!}} Cambio de pareja|date=12 March 1991|work=El País|access-date=17 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Riego|first=Marta del|date=19 June 2011|title=Más allá del poder|url=https://www.revistavanityfair.es/poder/articulos/exclusiva-entrevista-a-josep-borrell/13590|journal=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Mateos|first=Roger|date=6 June 2018|title=Borrell, veterano ministro que aspiró a la Moncloa y presidió la Eurocámara|url=https://www.elplural.com/politica/borrell-veterano-ministro-que-aspiro-a-la-moncloa-y-presidio-la-eurocamara_129690102|journal=El Plural}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|date=5 June 2018|title=Borrell, el azote del independentismo catalán que pidió cuentas a Lola Flores|url=https://www.madridiario.es/456894/perfil-josep-borrell-ministro-asuntos-exteriores|journal=Madridiario}}</ref> In the [[1986 Spanish general election|1986 general election]] he was for the first time elected to the [[Congress of Deputies]], remaining as an [[Member of parliament|MP]] representing [[Barcelona (Spanish Congress Electoral District)|Barcelona]] until 2004.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.congreso.es/portal/page/portal/Congreso/Congreso/Diputados/BusqForm?_piref73_1333155_73_1333154_1333154.next_page=/wc/fichaDiputado?idDiputado=201&idLegislatura=3|title=Borrell Fontelles, Josep. III Legislature|website=Spanish Congress of Deputies}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.congreso.es/portal/page/portal/Congreso/Congreso/Diputados/BusqForm?_piref73_1333155_73_1333154_1333154.next_page=/wc/fichaDiputado?idDiputado=237&idLegislatura=4|title=Borrell Fontelles, Josep. IV Legislature|website=Spanish Congress of Deputies}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.congreso.es/portal/page/portal/Congreso/Congreso/Diputados/BusqForm?_piref73_1333155_73_1333154_1333154.next_page=/wc/fichaDiputado?idDiputado=316&idLegislatura=5|title=Borrell Fontelles, Josep. V Legislature|website=Spanish Congress of Deputies}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.congreso.es/portal/page/portal/Congreso/Congreso/Diputados/BusqForm?_piref73_1333155_73_1333154_1333154.next_page=/wc/fichaDiputado?idDiputado=303&idLegislatura=6|title=Borrell Fontelles, Josep. VI Legislature|website=Spanish Congress of Deputies}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.congreso.es/portal/page/portal/Congreso/Congreso/Diputados/BusqForm?_piref73_1333155_73_1333154_1333154.next_page=/wc/fichaDiputado?idDiputado=123&idLegislatura=7|title=Borrell Fontelles, Josep. VII Legislature|website=Spanish Congress of Deputies}}</ref>

In 1991 he joined the [[Council of Ministers (Spain)|Council of Ministers]] as [[Minister of Public Works and Transport]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1991/03/12/espana/668732402_850215.html|title=José Borrell Fontelles|date=12 March 1991|work=El País|access-date=17 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1991/03/12/espana/668732421_850215.html|title=Felipe Gonzalez informó a Alfonso Guerra sobre la crisis antes de reunir a la ejecutiva socialista|date=12 March 1991|work=El País|access-date=17 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref>
[[File:Rosa Conde en la rueda de prensa posterior al Consejo Ministros con el ministro de Obras Públicas y Transportes.jpg|thumb|In 1991, next to [[Rosa Conde]], during a joint press conference]]
He took a role in the process of [[liberalization]] of telecommunications in Spain,<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.elsiglodeuropa.es/siglo/historico/temapor2004/604portada.htm|journal=El Siglo de Europa|title=Las familias del gobierno|issue=504|date=24 May 2004|access-date=6 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190509164408/http://www.elsiglodeuropa.es/siglo/historico/temapor2004/604portada.htm|archive-date=9 May 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> promoting the 1991–2001 National Plan of Telecommunications (PNT); in 1993, Borrell threatened nonetheless the [[European Commission]] with blocking the liberalization unless the concession of a moratory Spain was given, as Borrell deemed imperative to achieve first the universalization of service before the complete liberalization.<ref>{{Cite journal|first1=Joan|last1=Calzada|first2=Antón|last2=Costas|title=La liberalización de las telecomunicaciones en España: objetivos europeos versus intereses nacionales|journal=Revista de Historia Industrial|issue=63|volume=XXV|year=2016|url=https://www.raco.cat/index.php/HistoriaIndustrial/article/viewFile/312520/402591|pages=166–167}}</ref>

Following the [[1993 Spanish general election|1993 general election]], Borrell continued with a seat at the [[Council of Ministers (Spain)|Council of Ministers]], assuming the portfolio of Minister of Public Works, Transport and Environment in the last government presided by Felipe González. He left the office after the arrival to power of the [[People's Party (Spain)|People's Party]] in 1996, remaining as an MP for Barcelona in the Spanish Congress.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}

=== Brief spell as leader of the opposition ===
In 1998 Borrell decided to run against the [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party|PSOE]]'s then party leader [[Joaquín Almunia]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1998/03/22/espana/890521205_850215.html|title=Borrell anuncia que disputará a Almunia la candidatura a la presidencia del Gobierno|date=22 March 1998|work=El País|access-date=17 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref> in the first national [[1998 PSOE prime ministerial primary|primary election]] ever held in the PSOE since the [[Second Spanish Republic|Second Republic]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1998/03/22/espana/890521208_850215.html|title=Tribuna {{!}} ¿Quien teme a las primarias?|date=22 March 1998|work=El País|access-date=17 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref> intended to determine who the party would nominate as its prime ministerial candidate vis-à-vis the [[2000 Spanish general election|2000 general election]]. Borrell ran as the underdog, campaigning as the candidate of the socialist base against the party establishment,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1998/03/22/espana/890521209_850215.html|title=El verbo radical de Borrell reta al sobrio liderazgo de Almunia|date=22 March 1998|work=El País|access-date=17 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1998/04/20/espana/893023204_850215.html|title=Borrell ve "curioso" que "todos los altos cargos" del PSOE apoyen a Almunia|date=20 April 1998|work=El País|access-date=18 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1998/04/24/espana/893368805_850215.html|title=Tribuna {{!}} El efecto Borrell|date=24 April 1998|work=El País|access-date=17 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1998/05/02/madrid/894108256_850215.html|title=Tribuna {{!}} Borrell|date=2 May 1998|work=El País|access-date=17 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/politica/2011/05/24/actualidad/1306248688_742769.html|title=Las otras primarias|last=Alcaide|first=Soledad|date=24 May 2011|work=El País|access-date=18 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref> and surprisingly won the voting,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1998/04/25/espana/893455228_850215.html|title=Borrell gana y trastoca la situación del PSOE|last=|first=|date=25 April 1998|work=El País|access-date=17 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref> commanding 114,254 of the member's votes (54.99%), versus the 92,860 (44.67%) obtained by Almunia.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1998/05/07/espana/894492018_850215.html|title=Borrell gana por 21.394 votos a Almunia en las primarias|date=7 May 1998|work=El País|access-date=17 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|journal=[[El País]]|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1998/05/07/espana/894492018_850215.html|date=7 May 1998|title=Borrell gana por 21.394 votos a Almunia en las primarias }}</ref> Thus began an uneasy relationship and power-sharing—the "''bicefalia''" (''duumvirate'')—between the official party leader, Almunia, and the prime ministerial candidate elected by the members in the primaries, Borrell.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1998/04/28/espana/893714401_850215.html|title=Borrell exigirá a Almunia el control sobre la maquinaria electoral y el programa socialista|date=28 April 1998|work=El País|access-date=17 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1998/04/26/espana/893541604_850215.html|title=Borrell será el portavoz socialista en el Congreso y hablará en el debate del estado de la nación|date=26 April 1998|work=El País|access-date=17 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1998/05/01/espana/893973601_850215.html|title=El PSOE concede a Borrell el papel de líder de la oposición y evita el congreso extraordinario|date=1 May 1998|work=El País|access-date=17 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/politica/2017/05/20/actualidad/1495280668_452787.html|title=Por un puñado de votos, con sorpresas y con heridas|last=Garea|first=Fernando|date=20 May 2017|work=El País|access-date=18 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref>

However, in May 1999, a fraud investigation was launched into two officials whom, several years earlier, Borrell had appointed to senior posts in the finance ministry. Though not involved in the inquiry into property purchases, Borrell resigned from the role of Prime Ministerial candidate, stating that he did not want the affair to damage his party's chances in the upcoming local and general elections.<ref name="auto"/> <!-- Also, he had to publicly deny rumours that he was a homosexual, while asserting his respect for homosexuals.<ref name="Europa Press">''[http://www.enkidumagazine.com/art/2006/010506/E_044_010506.htm Borrell condena la homofobia y recuerda que se le intentó desacreditar calificándole de gay] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090703063600/http://enkidumagazine.com/art/2006/010506/E_044_010506.htm |date=3 July 2009}}'', [[Europa Press (news agency)|Europa Press]], 17 May 2006.</ref>-->

=== Involvement in European politics ===
[[File:Borrell Portrait 2004.jpg|thumb|right|Borrell's official portrait as President of the European Parliament, 2004.]]
Amid the sixth term of the Cortes Generales, Borrell was elected to chair the [[Joint Congress-Senate Committee for the European Union]] in October 1999,<ref name=elpais>{{Cite journal|journal=[[El País]]|url=https://elpais.com/elpais/2004/05/26/actualidad/1085559423_850215.html|date=26 May 2004|title=El candidato de la experiencia europea y de la cercanía}}</ref> replacing [[Pedro Solbes]]. Reelected as [[Member of parliament|MP]] for Barcelona in the [[2000 Spanish general election|2000 general election]], Borrell repeated as president of the Joint Committee for the European Union for the full 7th parliamentary term.<ref name=elpais /><ref name=":5">{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/2004/06/14/espana/1087164006_850215.html|title=Guadiana Borrell|date=14 June 2004|work=El País|access-date=18 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/2004/07/21/internacional/1090360801_850215.html|title=Cinco años desde la frustración al triunfo|date=21 July 2004|work=El País|access-date=18 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref> Then, in 2001, Borrell was also appointed the [[Cortes Generales|Spanish parliament's]] representative on the [[Convention on the Future of Europe]].<ref name="auto"/><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /> In 2011 he was awarded Spain's medal of the [[Order of Constitutional Merit]] in recognition of his participation in this convention, which drafted the [[Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe|European Constitution]] that eventually led to the [[Treaty of Lisbon]].<ref name=":4" /> During his time at the convention, he unsuccessfully pushed for a mention to a "federal model" in the draft, as well as he advocated for the explicit mention of the equality between women and men. A laicist, he also then opposed the inclusion of the notion of a "Christian heritage" in the text.<ref>{{Cite web|work=[[Politico]]|title=Josep Borrell: Europe's undiplomatic envoy|date=30 July 2019|first=Diego|last=Torres|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/josep-borrell-europe-undiplomatic-envoy/}}</ref>

In 2004, the prime minister and PSOE's leader [[José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero]] proposed Borrell to lead the Socialist Ticket in the [[2004 European Parliament election in Spain|2004 European elections]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/elpais/2004/04/26/actualidad/1082967424_850215.html|title=La Comisión Ejecutiva del PSOE propone a Borrell como cabeza de lista para las elecciones europeas|last=AGENCIAS|date=26 April 2004|work=El País|access-date=18 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref> The PSOE won the elections with 6,6 million votes (43,30%), obtaining 25 MEP seats, although turnout was relatively low at 46%.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/2004/06/14/portada/1087164006_850215.html|title=El PSOE ratifica la victoria del 14-M|date=14 June 2004|work=El País|access-date=18 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/elpais/2004/06/14/actualidad/1087201019_850215.html|title=El PSOE celebra los resultados como la confirmación de que el 14-M "no fue un espejismo"|date=14 June 2004|work=[[El País]]|access-date=18 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref> Borrell sat with the [[Party of European Socialists]] (PES) group, and served as leader of the Spanish delegation.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}

In July 2004 Borrell was elected [[President of the European Parliament]], as a result of an agreement between the [[European People's Party group|EPP]] and the [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats|Socialists]], becoming the third Spaniard to hold this position after [[Enrique Barón Crespo|Enrique Barón]] and [[José María Gil-Robles]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/internacional/2004/07/20/actualidad/1090274406_850215.html|title=El Parlamento Europeo elige a Borrell como presidente en su primera sesión|last=AGENCIAS|date=20 July 2004|work=El País|access-date=18 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/internacional/2004/07/13/actualidad/1089669608_850215.html|title=José Borrell será el próximo presidente del Parlamento Europeo|last=AGENCIAS|date=13 July 2004|work=El País|access-date=18 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/2004/07/21/internacional/1090360802_850215.html|title=Borrell, elegido presidente del Parlamento Europeo con el voto de los populares|date=21 July 2004|work=El País|access-date=18 July 2019|language=es|issn=1134-6582}}</ref> In the presidential vote, out of 700 [[Members of the European Parliament]] (MEPs) he received an absolute majority with 388 votes in the first ballot. The other two candidates were the Polish Liberal [[Bronisław Geremek]] (208 votes) and the French communist [[Francis Wurtz]] (51 votes).<ref>[https://www.politico.eu/article/borrell-confirmed-in-top-job/ Borrell confirmed in top job] ''[[European Voice]]'', 21 July 2004.</ref> He was the first newly elected MEP to hold the post since direct elections were held in 1979.<ref>Martin Banks (7 July 2004), [https://www.politico.eu/article/newly-elected-borrell-set-to-land-top-parliament-position/ Newly elected Borrell set to land top Parliament position] ''[[European Voice]]''.</ref> As part of a deal with the conservative faction in the parliament, the [[European People's Party European Democrats|EPP]], he was succeeded as president of the parliament by the German conservative politician [[Hans-Gert Pöttering]] in the second part of the five-year term.<ref>Dan Bilefsky (16 January 2007), [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/16/world/europe/16iht-europe.html EU Parliament elects German conservative] ''[[International Herald Tribune]]''.</ref>

In his capacity as president, Borrell also chaired the Parliament's temporary committee on policy challenges and budgetary means of the enlarged Union 2007–2013. From 2007 until leaving the Parliament in 2009,<ref name="auto1">Dave Keating (25 April 2012), [https://www.politico.eu/article/borrell-forced-to-resign-over-energy-interests/ Borrell forced to resign over energy interests] ''[[European Voice]]''.</ref> he served as chairman of the [[Committee on Development]]. In addition to his committee assignments, he was a member of the Parliament's delegation to the [[ACP–EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly]].{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}

=== Step back from the political front ===
[[File:08.10.2017 Manifestació "Prou! Recuperem el seny" - Barcelona 19 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Borrell holding an [[EU flag]], between [[Mario Vargas Llosa]] and [[Albert Rivera]] during a mass rally defending the unity of Spain held in Barcelona on 8 October 2017]]
Borrell was nominated president of the [[European University Institute]] on 12 December 2008, and assumed this position in January 2010. In 2012, he was forced to resign after failing to disclose a financial relationship with [[Abengoa]], which paid him €300,000 yearly as a board member for the company.<ref name="auto1"/>

In 2012, the [[University of Lleida]] appointed Borrell to a professorship of competition and regional development sponsored by energy company [[Repsol]].<ref name="auto1"/> He also held the Jean Monnet Chair at the Institute of International Studies at [[Complutense University of Madrid]]. {{citation needed|date=September 2024}}

Borrell collaborated along with other prominent PSOE figures, such as [[Cristina Narbona]], [[José Félix Tezanos]] and [[Manuel Escudero]], in the making of ''Somos socialistas. Por una nueva socialdemocracia'' ("We are socialists. For a new social-democracy"), a manifesto in support of [[Pedro Sánchez]]'s successful bid to the leadership of the PSOE in the [[2017 Spanish Socialist Workers' Party leadership election|May 2017 PSOE primary election]] prior to the 39th Federal Congress of the party.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.eldiario.es/norte/vientodelnorte/Renovacion-socialista_6_649595061.html|journal=[[eldiario.es]]|title=Renovación socialista|date=31 May 2017|first=Javier|last=Nogales}}</ref>

He also stood out as one of the most outspoken opponents of [[Catalan independence movement|Catalan secessionism]]. Borrell co-authored ''Las cuentas y los cuentos de la independencia'' ("The calculations and tales behind independence"), a 2015 essay that vowed to dismantle the economic arguments laid out by the pro-independence movement.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://elpais.com/cultura/2015/08/26/babelia/1440588607_487531.html|journal=El País. Babelia|title=El cuento de los lecheros Junqueras y Mas|first=José B.|date=29 August 2015|last=Terceiro}}</ref> He also took a leading role in a mass rally defending the unity of Spain held in Barcelona on 8 October 2017, in which Borrell gave an impassionated speech demanding "not to bring up more frontiers" while displaying a European Union flag that he called "our ''[[estelada]]''" (starred flag),<ref>{{cite news |title=El discurso completo de Borrell |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuXeeRIDTow  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/VuXeeRIDTow |archive-date=21 December 2021 |url-status=live|access-date=24 April 2020 |work=El País |publisher=Youtube |date=8 October 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Jones |first1=Sam |last2=Burgen |first2=Stephen |title='We have to raise our voices' – Catalans rally to the pro-unity cause |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/08/catalonia-independence-from-spain-silent-majority-rally-barcelona |access-date=24 April 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=8 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Piñol |first1=Àngels |last2=Hunter |first2=Simon |title=Massive march in Barcelona in favor of the Constitution and the unity of Spain |url=https://english.elpais.com/elpais/2017/10/08/inenglish/1507477895_166276.html |access-date=24 April 2020 |work=El País in English |date=8 October 2017}}</ref> bringing him back to the media first line.<ref>Raphael Minder (6 June 2018), [https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/06/world/europe/spain-government-women.html Spain's New Leader Forms Government With Almost Two-Thirds Women] ''[[New York Times]]''.</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.elperiodico.com/es/politica/20180604/los-momentos-mas-mediaticos-de-borrell-6856979|journal=[[El Periódico de Catalunya|El Periódico]]|title=Los momentos más mediáticos de Josep Borrell|date=4 June 2018}}</ref> He also took part on a second mass rally on 29 October 2017 under the slogan "We are all Catalonia".<ref>{{cite news |title=Catalonia independence: Huge Barcelona pro-Spain rally |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41794087 |access-date=24 April 2020 |work=BBC News |date=29 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Álvarez |first1=Pilar |last2=Gálvez |first2=J.J. |last3=Hunter |first3=Simon |title=Hundreds of thousands take to streets in defense of Spanish unity |url=https://english.elpais.com/elpais/2017/10/29/inenglish/1509299829_977368.html |access-date=24 April 2020 |work=El País in English |date=29 October 2017}}</ref>

=== Foreign Minister, 2018–2019 ===
[[File:Primer Gobierno de Pedro Sánchez (2018-10).jpg|thumb|right|Group photo presenting the new Council of Ministers at [[Moncloa Palace|La Moncloa]] (June 2018)]]
Following the [[2018 vote of no confidence in the government of Mariano Rajoy|2018 successful motion of no confidence against Mariano Rajoy]] and subsequent investiture of [[Pedro Sánchez]] as new prime minister, Borrell was announced on 5 June as Sánchez's choice for the post of foreign minister in [[Sánchez I Government|his new government]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/055ba5dba5f44f1db6dc1b4fa43040fd|title=Spain's ousted leader steps down as conservative party boss|first=Renata|last=Brito|date=5 June 2018|website=AP NEWS}}</ref> 22 years after the end of his last tenure as member of the [[Government of Spain]], Borrell assumed the portfolio of [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Spain)|Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation]] on 7 June along the rest of the new cabinet in [[Zarzuela Palace|La Zarzuela]].<ref>{{Cite journal|journal=[[La Vanguardia]]|url=http://www.lavanguardia.com/politica/20180607/444191293514/los-17-del-consejo-de-ministras-y-ministros-de-sanchez-prometen-ante-el-rey.html|title=Los 17 del "Consejo de Ministras y Ministros" de Sánchez prometen ante el Rey|date=7 June 2018}}</ref> The new minister relocated some of the high-rank officials appointed by the government of Mariano Rajoy with a diplomatic background to ambassadorial posts, including secretaries of State and, most notably, the former foreign minister ([[Alfonso Dastis]]) and the [[Moncloa Chief of Staff|prime minister's chief of staff]] ([[Jorge Moragas]]).<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://elpais.com/politica/2018/07/16/actualidad/1531738222_643639.html|journal=[[El País]]|title=Borrell sitúa en embajadas a todo el equipo de Exteriores de Rajoy|first=Javier|last=Casqueiro|date=16 July 2018}}</ref>

Borrell decided to reformulate the High Commissioner for the 'Marca España' (Spain Brand), a one-person body functionally dependent directly on the Office of the Prime Minister but organically included within the Foreign Office structure to the post of [[Secretary of State for Global Spain]].<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://elpais.com/economia/2018/09/21/actualidad/1537531560_561509.html|journal=[[El País]]|title=Borrell potencia la 'Marca España' y cambia el nombre por 'España Global'|date=21 September 2018|first=Miguel Ángel|last=Noceda}}</ref> The officeholder responsible for the 'Marca España' since 2012, The [[Carlos Espinosa de los Monteros y Bernaldo de Quirós|Marquess of Valtierra]], was replaced by [[Irene Lozano]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Díez |first=Anabel |date=12 October 2018 |title=Irene Lozano, profecía cumplida |language=es |work=El País |url=https://elpais.com/politica/2018/10/11/actualidad/1539257456_746434.html |access-date=12 October 2023 |issn=1134-6582}}</ref>

In June 2018, Borrell accompanied [[King Felipe VI]] on an official visit to the US.<ref>{{cite news |title=Donald Trump urged Spain to 'build the wall' – across the Sahara |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/19/donald-trump-urged-spain-to-build-the-wall-across-the-sahara |work=The Guardian |date=19 September 2018}}</ref> Borrell had a meeting with [[Mike Pompeo]], where the Spanish delegation expressed concern over the US protectionist drift; discrepancies were found between the two countries in their approach to migration policies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.efe.com/efe/america/mundo/trump-asegura-que-ira-a-espana-y-califica-de-excelente-la-relacion/20000012-3654935|publisher=[[Agencia EFE]]|date=19 June 2018|title=Trump asegura que irá a España y califica de "excelente" la relación}}</ref>

In September 2018, the [[National Securities Market Commission]] (CNMV) settled a disciplinary action against Borrell opened in 2017 due to the latter's [[insider trading]] in the sale of stocks of [[Abengoa]] (whose [[board of directors]] Borrell was a member of) in November 2015, sanctioning him with a fine of {{nts|30000}}€.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://elpais.com/politica/2018/11/27/actualidad/1543307276_424238.html|journal=[[El País]]|title=La CNMV multa a Borrell con 30.000 euros por usar información privilegiada al vender acciones de Abengoa|date=27 November 2018|first=Lucía|last=Abellán}}</ref>{{refn|group=n.|Borrell admitted the events but he differed in the interpretation by the CNMV, arguing that if he had used insider information he would not have lost all the parcel of shares, as it happened.<ref>{{Cite journal|journal=[[El País]]|last=Abellán|first=Lucía|title=La CNMV abrió expediente a Borrell por uso de información privilegiada|url=https://elpais.com/politica/2018/10/10/actualidad/1539193857_935088.html|date=10 October 2018|access-date=9 May 2019}}</ref>}}

Regarding the negotiations with the [[United Kingdom]] on [[Gibraltar]] in the context of [[Brexit]], Borrell vowed to prioritise improvement of the living conditions in neighbouring [[Campo de Gibraltar]]<ref name=elespanol /> (he reportedly considered the reality of the "3rd territory with the highest GDP per capita in the World"—Gibraltar—surrounded by "a flatland of underdevelopment"—the Campo de Gibraltar—as something unacceptable).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cadenaser.com/emisora/2018/09/14/radio_algeciras/1536903542_359394.html|publisher=[[Cadena Ser]]|title=Borrell considera el Campo de Gibraltar "una planicie en subdesarrollo"|date=14 September 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|title=Borrell: "No puede ser que Gibraltar sea el tercer territorio con más renta rodeado de una planicie de subdesarrollo"|journal=[[La Vanguardia]]|date=13 September 2018|url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20180913/451790970221/borrell-no-puede-ser-que-gibraltar-sea-el-tercer-territorio-con-mas-renta-rodeado-de-una-planicie-de-subdesarrollo.html}}</ref> On the other hand, he renounced attempts to include the longstanding bid for sovereignty as an element of the negotiations.<ref name=elespanol>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.elespanol.com/mundo/20180917/borrell-utilizaremos-brexit-lograr-cosas-positivas-gibraltar/338716883_0.html|journal=[[El Español]]|title=Borrell: "Utilizaremos el 'brexit' para lograr cosas positivas en Gibraltar"|date=17 September 2018}}</ref> Borrell highlighted the fact that this soft approach was the same stance used by his predecessor, Dastis, outlining a continuity in the negotiations with the former government, with the ministry keeping the same negotiating team as before the government change.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ecodiario.eleconomista.es/espana/noticias/9489133/10/18/Borrell-defiende-que-sigue-la-politica-de-dastis-sobre-gibraltar-y-reprocha-a-margallo-no-conseguir-nada-sobre-el-penon.html|work=eleconomista|date=31 October 2018|title=Borrell defiende que sigue la política de dastis sobre gibraltar y reprocha a margallo no conseguir "nada" sobre el peñón}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|journal=[[eldiario.es]]|url=https://www.eldiario.es/politica/Borrell-negociacion-Gibraltar-soberania-practicos_0_815769328.html|title=Borrell: La negociación de Gibraltar "no va" de soberanía sino de temas prácticos|date=18 September 2018}}</ref> In November 2018, he signed four [[Memorandum of understanding|MoUs]] negotiated with the United Kingdom, settling aspects of the future relationship with the [[British Overseas Territories|British Overseas Territory]].<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/3505320/0/borrell-firma-memorandos-gibraltar-brexit/|journal=[[20minutos.es]]|title=Borrell firma los cuatro memorandos sobre Gibraltar que ya negociaron España y Reino Unido para el 'brexit'|date=29 November 2018}}</ref>
[[File:El presidente del Gobierno, Pedro Sánchez, en Estrasburgo 02.jpg|thumb|right|Borrell (centre) with [[Party of European Socialists|PES]] ''Spitzenkandidat'' [[Frans Timmermans]] and [[Pedro Sánchez]] in January 2019]]
Given the aggravation of the [[2018–2022 Nicaraguan protests|political crisis in Nicaragua]], in December 2018 Borrell pressed EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs [[Federica Mogherini]] for EU-wide involvement in the situation.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/politica/20181219/453650610065/espana-pide-a-la-ue-que-se-ocupe-de-la-crisis-de-nicaragua.html|journal=[[La Vanguardia]]|title=España pide a la UE que se ocupe de la crisis de Nicaragua|date=19 December 2018|access-date=19 December 2018}}</ref>

In May 2019, the Spanish Embassy in [[Caracas]] lodged Venezuelan dissident [[Leopoldo López]] as a guest following the [[2019 Venezuelan uprising attempt|Venezuelan uprising]], as the latter had been freed from domiciliary imprisonment by forces endorsing [[Juan Guaidó]]. However, Borrell warned Spain was not going "to allow the embassy to become a centre of political activism", vowing to restrict the political activities of López as a guest.<ref>{{Cite journal| url=https://elpais.com/politica/2019/05/03/actualidad/1556893299_375025.html|journal=[[El País]]|title=España impedirá a López emplear la Embajada como plataforma política|first1=Lucía|last1=Abellán|first2=Francesco|date=4 June 2019|last2=Manetto}}</ref>

For the [[2019 European Parliament election in Spain]], Borrell ran first in the PSOE list.<ref>Charlie Duxbury (23 May 2019), [https://www.politico.eu/article/european-election-2019-big-name-swap-national-politics-for-brussels-career/ Big names aim to swap national politics for EU career] ''[[Politico Europe]]''.</ref> During the electoral campaign, he appealed to the unity of Europe and stressed the need for EU member states to pool sovereignty in order to survive as a civilization.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/2019-05-14/elecciones-europeas-26m-josep-borrel-europa_2000058/|journal=El Confidencial|date=14 May 2019|title=Borrell, sobre Europa: "Somos pocos, viejos y dependientes"}}</ref> Shortly after his election, he gave up his newly won seat before the inaugural session of the legislature, arguing that acting prime minister Pedro Sánchez and he had agreed that, amid the uncertainty regarding the second investiture of Sánchez, the post of foreign minister should not be left vacant for an indefinite period.<ref>Ya Chun Wang (26 June 2019), [https://www.politico.eu/article/josep-borrell-spanish-foreign-minister-gives-up-european-parliament-seat/ Spanish foreign minister gives up European Parliament seat] ''[[Politico Europe]]''.</ref>

In October 2019, Borrell condemned the [[2019 Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria|Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria]] against [[Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria|Syrian Kurds]], adding that "We don't have magic powers" to stop the Turkish invasion.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Times view on Turkey's march into Syria: Europe's Dilemma |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/the-times-view-on-turkeys-march-into-syria-europes-dilemma-5hczlxxrm |work=The Times |date=15 October 2019}}</ref>

He stepped down from the office on 29 November 2019 and was succeeded ''ad interim'' by the [[Ministry of Defence (Spain)|Minister of Defence]], [[Margarita Robles]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eldiario.es/politica/borrell-despide-ministerio-catalan-espanol_1_1231910.html|title=Borrell se despide del Ministerio: "Soy catalán, soy español y soy europeo"|date=29 November 2019|website=ElDiario.es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.elperiodico.com/es/politica/20191127/margarita-robles-sustituira-temporalmente-a-josep-borrell-exteriores-7753166Margarita|title=Robles sustituye temporalmente a Josep Borrell como ministro de Exteriores tras su marcha a la UE}}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

===European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy===
[[File:Hearing of Josep Borrell, High Representative Vice President-designate, A stronger Europe in the World (48859228518).jpg|thumb|Borrell testifies before the [[European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs|EP Committee on Foreign Affairs]] in 2019 in a hearing for his confirmation as High Representative.]]

====2019====
On 2 July 2019, [[President of the European Council]] [[Donald Tusk]] announced that the [[European Council]] would nominate Josep Borrell as [[High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy]].<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-european-leaders-pick-germany-defense-minister-ursula-von-der-leyen-to-lead-commission-charles-michel-council/ |title = Von der Leyen Tapped to Run European Commission |date = 2 July 2019 |work = Politico Europe |access-date = 2 July 2019}}</ref> The portfolio had been reportedly beefed up with additional responsibilities in [[humanitarian aid]], support of development policies in Africa and the external dimension of immigration.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rtve.es/noticias/20190702/borrell-sera-nuevo-jefe-diplomacia-europea/1965926.shtml|publisher=[[RTVE]]|title=Borrell, propuesto como nuevo jefe de la diplomacia europea|date=2 July 2019}}</ref> Also in July 2019, he announced the acquisition of double Argentine–Spanish citizenship, assumed on 18 July 2019, thus gaining the citizenship his father was born with.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://elpais.com/politica/2019/07/17/actualidad/1563361959_638114.html?id_externo_rsoc=TW_CC|journal=[[El País]]|title=Borrell adquiere la doble nacionalidad argentina y española|first=Miquel|last=Alberola|date=17 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|journal=[[ABC (Spain)|ABC]]|url=https://www.abc.es/espana/abci-argentina-tiene-nuevo-ciudadano-josep-borrell-201907190209_noticia.html|title=Argentina tiene un nuevo ciudadano: Josep Borrell|first=Carmen de|last=Carlos|date=19 July 2019}}</ref> He passed the hearing before the [[European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs]] (AFET) on 7 October 2019. His nomination was green-lighted the next day by a vote of AFET members.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rtve.es/noticias/20191008/borrell-recibe-visto-bueno-eurodiputados-para-ser-jefe-diplomacia-ue/1980923.shtml|publisher=[[RTVE]]|title=Borrell recibe el visto bueno de los eurodiputados para ser el jefe de la diplomacia europea|date=8 October 2019|website=www.rtve.es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/anagarciavaldivia/2019/10/09/josep-borrell-green-light-to-eus-new-foreign-policy-chief/|work=[[Forbes]]|first=Ana|last=Garcia Valdivia|date=9 October 2019|title=Josep Borrell: Green Light To EU's New Foreign Policy Chief}}</ref>

To counter its negative image in the EU, [[China]] sent medical aid and supplies to EU countries affected by the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lau |first1=Stuart |title=EU fires warning shot at China in coronavirus battle of the narratives |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3076728/eu-fires-warning-shot-china-coronavirus-battle-narratives |work=[[South China Morning Post]] |date=24 March 2020}}</ref> Borrell warned that there is "a geopolitical component, including a struggle for influence through spinning and the 'politics of generosity'." He also said that "China is aggressively pushing the message that, unlike the US, it is a responsible and reliable partner."<ref>{{cite news |title=Governments reject Chinese-made equipment |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52092395 |work=BBC News |date=30 March 2020}}</ref>

====2020====
[[File:Secretary Pompeo Meets with European Union High Representative Borrell (49500956328).jpg|thumb|Borrell with U.S. Secretary of State [[Mike Pompeo]] on 7 February 2020]]
Borrell said that [[proposed Israeli annexation of the West Bank]] "could not pass unchallenged" and warned that "failure to adequately respond would encourage other states with territorial claims to disregard basic principles of international law".<ref>{{cite news |title=Vexed by annexation: The battle inside the EU over Israel |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-europe-annexation/vexed-by-annexation-the-battle-inside-the-eu-over-israel-idUSKBN23U1R6 |work=Reuters |date=23 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=More than 1,000 European MPs call for Israel annexation to be halted and warn of 'consequences' |url=https://www.euronews.com/2020/06/24/more-than-1-000-european-mps-call-for-israel-annexation-to-be-halted-and-warn-of-consequen |work=Euronews |date=24 June 2020}}</ref> He said that "In line with international law and relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions, the EU does not recognize Israel's sovereignty" over the [[Palestinian territories]] occupied since 1967.<ref>{{cite news |title=EU: Annexation Would 'Not Pass Unchallenged' |url=https://hamodia.com/2020/02/04/eu-annexation-not-pass-unchallenged/ |work=[[Hamodia]] |date=4 February 2020}}</ref> Borrell hailed the [[Israel–United Arab Emirates peace agreement|peace agreement]] between [[Israel]] and the [[United Arab Emirates]] as benefiting both nations and being important for stability in the Middle East. He also called Israeli suspension of its annexation plans positive and stated that the European Union hoped for a [[two-state solution]].<ref>{{Cite web|title= EU's top diplomat welcomes Israel-UAE peace deal|url= https://www.neweurope.eu/article/eus-top-diplomat-welcomes-israel-uae-peace-deal/|access-date= 20 August 2020|work= New Europe|date= 15 August 2020|first= Zoe|last= Didili|archive-date= 15 November 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201115060444/https://www.neweurope.eu/article/eus-top-diplomat-welcomes-israel-uae-peace-deal/|url-status= dead}}</ref>

[[File:Josep Borrell Fontelles and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Turkey.jpg|thumb|right|Borrell and Turkish President [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] at the [[South-East European Cooperation Process]] (SEECP) Summit in Antalya, Turkey on 17 June 2021]]
On 9 April 2020, Borrell, on behalf of the EU, with the release of the first report of the Investigation and Identification Team to the Executive Council of the [[Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons]] and to the [[Secretary-General of the United Nations|Secretary-General]] of the [[United Nations]] on 8 April 2020, declared that "We fully support the report's findings and note with great concern its conclusions. The European Union strongly condemns the use of chemical weapons by the [[Syrian Air Force|Syrian Arab Air Force]] as concluded by the report. Those identified as responsible for the use of chemical weapons must be held accountable for these reprehensible acts."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/04/09/declaration-by-the-high-representative-josep-borrell-on-behalf-of-the-eu-on-the-release-of-the-first-report-of-the-opcw-investigation-and-identification-team/|title=Declaration by the High Representative Josep Borrell on behalf of the EU on the release of the first report of the OPCW Investigation and Identification Team|website=www.consilium.europa.eu}}</ref>

On 24 April, the EU's foreign security policy agency, the [[European External Action Service]] (EEAS), published a report on [[misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic|disinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic]]. ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that the language had been toned down amid [[China–European Union relations|criticism from China]]. The final report differed in key areas from both an internal version and an earlier draft planned for public release. At a parliamentary hearing on 30 April, Borrell acknowledged that China had expressed concerns about the report after it leaked, but he denied the EU had bowed to pressure or that the report had been revised.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/30/world/europe/coronavirus-china-eu-disinformation.html|title=Top E.U. Diplomat Says Disinformation Report Was Not Watered Down for China|first=Matt|last=Apuzzo|newspaper=The New York Times|date=30 April 2020}}</ref> Borrell said that there were two separate reports, one for internal consumption and one for publication. Responding to questions from members of the European Parliament, Borrell accused staff of damaging the EU by leaking. He also appeared to suggest that analysts' views were biased and cast doubt on their credibility: "I cannot accept that the personal belief or feeling of a member of staff leaking mails—maybe being written to be leaked—created damage to the credibility of the institution", he said, later asking MEPs why "more credibility" was being given "to the personal opinion of a member of a staff". {{citation needed|date=September 2024}}

Multiple EU officials told [[BuzzFeed News]] and ''The New York Times'' that they were angry and disappointed by Borrell's focus on leaks and, in particular, his singling out of junior staff members.<ref name=bf1>{{Cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/albertonardelli/eu-china-coronavirus-disinformation-report|title=The EU Was Accused Of Watering Down A Report About Chinese Coronavirus Disinformation. In Response, It Has Attacked Leaks And Whistleblowers|first=Alberto|last=Nardelli|website=BuzzFeed|date=5 May 2020 }}</ref>

Concerning the long-standing [[Aegean dispute]] between Turkey and Greece, Borrell in August 2020 expressed "full solidarity" with [[Greece]] and [[Cyprus]] (Turkey has [[Turkish invasion of Cyprus|occupied northern Cyprus]] since July 1974)<ref>{{cite news |title=EU's Borrell says Turkish gas drills off Cyprus 'must stop' |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/news/eus-borrell-says-turkish-gas-drills-off-cyprus-must-stop/ |work=Euractiv |date=26 June 2020}}</ref> and called for "immediate deescalation" by Turkey and "reengaging in dialogue."<ref>{{cite news |title=EU urges Turkey to 'deescalate' energy dispute with Greece |url=https://apnews.com/a7c5de42a3e30e393a862defbefee275 |work=Associated Press. |date=14 August 2020}}</ref>

[[File:Visit of Nikol Pashinyan, Armenian Prime Minister, to the European Commission.jpg|thumb|Borrell with Armenian Prime Minister [[Nikol Pashinyan]] on 9 March 2020]]
In October 2020, Borrell called on [[Armenia]] and [[Azerbaijan]] to cease fighting in the disputed [[Nagorno-Karabakh]] region and return to the negotiating table.<ref>{{cite news |title=EU fails to act on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan |url=https://www.dw.com/en/eu-fails-to-act-on-nagorno-karabakh-conflict-between-armenia-and-azerbaijan/a-55208668 |work=Deutsche Welle |date=8 October 2020}}</ref>
[[File:Secretary Blinken Meets With EU High Representative Borrell (51987252747).jpg|thumb|[[EU]] High Representative Josep Borrell with U.S. Secretary of State [[Antony Blinken]] in [[Triangle building]], [[Brussels]], 2022]]

====2021====
[[File:04 11 2021 Reunião com o representante para Política Externa e de Segurança da União Europeia e Vice-Presidente da Comissão Europeia, Josep Borrell Fontelles (51657378193).jpg|thumb|Borrell with Brazilian President [[Jair Bolsonaro]] in November 2021]]
In February 2021, Borrell voiced "strong concern" about China's "treatment of ethnic and religious minorities, in particular" ethnic [[Uyghurs]] in [[Xinjiang]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Borrell complains to China about Uighur abuse |url=https://euobserver.com/tickers/150867 |work=EUobserver |date=9 February 2021}}</ref> In March 2021, he said China's [[China–European Union relations|sanctions on EU officials]] had created "a new atmosphere" and "a new situation".<ref>{{cite news |title=EU slams China's 'authoritarian shift' and broken economic promises |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-china-biden-economy-climate-europe/ |work=Politico |date=25 April 2021}}</ref>

[[File:Meeting of the President of Ukraine with the President of the European Commission and the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy 29.jpg|thumb|[[EU]] High Representative Josep Borrell with Ukrainian President [[Volodymyr Zelenskyy]] and European Commission President [[Ursula von der Leyen]] in Kyiv in April 2022]]
[[File:Josep Borrell and Aleksandar Vučić (2022-11-11) 2.jpg|thumb|Borrell with Serbian President [[Aleksandar Vučić]] on 11 November 2022]]
Although warned against doing so by several EU countries, Borrell decided on his own initiative to make the first high-level EU trip of its type in four years to Russia amidst the [[2021 Russian protests]], to meet with [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Russia)|Russian Foreign Minister]] [[Sergey Lavrov]]. The visit was described by [[Member of the European Parliament|MEPs]], diplomats and other political observers as a humiliation for Borrell, as he stood by while Lavrov called the EU an "unreliable partner" and Russia expelled three EU diplomats while Borrell and Lavrov held their joint press briefing.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Russia humiliates Borrell in Moscow|url=https://euobserver.com/foreign/150844|access-date=15 February 2021|website=EUobserver|date=5 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=11 February 2021|title=EU chief's Moscow humiliation is sign of bloc disunity on Russia, say experts|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/11/eu-chiefs-moscow-humiliation-is-sign-of-bloc-disunity-on-russia-say-experts|access-date=21 February 2022|website=the Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=10 February 2021|title=Bested by Lavrov, Borrell faces fury in Brussels|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/bested-by-sergey-lavrov-josep-borrell-faces-fury-in-brussels-russia/|access-date=21 February 2022|website=Politico}}</ref> This led to a group of over 70 MEPs to call for Borrell's resignation.<ref>{{Cite web|date=9 February 2021|title=Borrell defends controversial Russia trip, threatens sanctions|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/josep-borrell-defends-controversial-russia-trip-threatens-sanctions/|access-date=15 February 2021|website=Politico}}</ref>

In May 2021, Borrell called for a [[2021 Israel–Palestine crisis|ceasefire]] between Israel and the Palestinian [[Islamist]] group [[Hamas]].<ref>{{cite news |title=EU – minus Hungary – calls for Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/divisions-curb-eu-peacemaking-role-israel-gaza-violence-2021-05-18/ |work=Reuters |date=18 May 2021}}</ref>

In June 2021, the Spanish newspaper [[ABC (newspaper)|ABC]] published a mail that described that Borrell had informed the Cuban embassy about the debate in the European Parliament about the situation in [[Cuba]] and that showed his intention to stop the debate and prevent it from reaching the Parliament's floor. A group of at least 16 MEPs asked Borrell for explanations.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=8 June 2021|title=Eurodiputados piden a Borrell que explique si trató de bloquear el debate parlamentario sobre Cuba|url=https://www.europapress.es/internacional/noticia-cuba-eurodiputados-piden-borrell-explique-si-trato-bloquear-debate-parlamentario-cuba-20210608194107.html|access-date=18 June 2021|website=[[Europa Press (news agency)|Europa Press]]}}</ref>

In August 2021, Borrell received criticism for sending a high-ranking EU representative, [[Enrique Mora]], to attend the inauguration of [[Iran]]ian president [[Ebrahim Raisi]]. Mora was seated directly behind senior leaders of [[Hamas]] and [[Hezbollah]] during the ceremony.<ref name="inauguration"/> Borrell's decision to send him there was blasted by [[David Lega]] and eight other [[Member of the European Parliament|members of the European Parliament]] who sent Borrell a letter stating that his action "contradicts European commitments to uphold and stand for human rights." The MEPs also pointed to Raisi's role in the [[1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners]] and warned that honoring the "inauguration of the 'Hangman of Tehran' only serves to encourage such behavior".<ref name="inauguration">{{Cite web|last=Algemeiner|first=The|title=European Parliament Members Blast EU for Sending Diplomat to 'Honor' Inauguration of New Iranian President|url=https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/08/09/european-parliament-members-blast-eu-for-sending-diplomat-to-honor-inauguration-of-new-iranian-president/|access-date=26 August 2021|website=Algemeiner.com}}</ref>

In September 2021, Borrell compared the situation on the [[Belarus–Poland border]] to the migrant crisis on the [[Morocco–Spain border]].<ref>{{cite news |title=EU 'stands in solidarity' with Latvia, Lithuania and Poland over Belarus |url=https://www.euronews.com/2021/09/03/eu-stands-in-solidarity-with-latvia-lithuania-and-poland-over-belarus |work=Euronews |date=3 September 2021}}</ref>

In October 2021, he went to [[Saudi Arabia]] after visiting [[Qatar]] and the [[United Arab Emirates]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Politics EU plans a new partnership with the Gulf for 2022 |url=https://www.eureporter.co/politics/2021/10/18/eu-plans-a-new-partnership-with-the-gulf-for-2022/ |work=EU Reporter |date=18 October 2021}}</ref> Borrell said that the EU "now has human rights dialogues with all Gulf States and we launched such a dialogue with Saudi Arabia this week. This is an area where there is much to gain for both sides from closer cooperation."<ref>{{cite news |title=EU seeks stronger partnership with Gulf countries |url=https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/611624/World/Europe/EU-seeks-stronger-partnership-with-Gulf-countries |work=[[Saudi Gazette]] |date=1 October 2021}}</ref> Borrell and Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister [[Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud]] also discussed the conflict in [[Yemen]] and the humanitarian situation in [[Taliban]]-controlled [[Afghanistan]]. Borell described the situation in Yemen as a "terrible tragedy" and called for a peaceful solution to the [[Yemeni civil war (2014–present)|war in Yemen]], which is largely seen in the region as a [[Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict|proxy conflict]] between Iran and Saudi Arabia.<ref>{{cite news |title=Taliban government behaviour 'not encouraging', says EU foreign policy chief |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/eu-foreign-policy-chief-says-discussed-nuclear-talks-afghanistan-saudi-visit-2021-10-03/ |work=Reuters |date=3 October 2021}}</ref>

On 8 October 2021, Borrell said the EU's [[Turkey–European Union relations|relations with Turkey]] has significantly improved and he called his relationship with Turkish President [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] "excellent".<ref>{{cite news |title=EU ties with Turkey 'greatly improved' over last year: Borrell |url=https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/eu-ties-with-turkey-greatly-improved-over-last-year-borrell-168492 |work=[[Hürriyet Daily News]] |date=8 October 2021}}</ref>

On 18 October 2021, Borrell argued that the [[2021 global energy crisis]] had "deep geopolitical roots. ... the price of gas, the scarcity, is something that has to be looked at from a geopolitical perspective."<ref>{{cite news |title=EU's Borrell fires back at Putin by saying gas price surge is political |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-josep-borrell-putin-gas-price-surge-political/ |work=Politico |date=18 October 2021}}</ref>

In December 2021, he criticised EU member states for not imposing sanctions on [[Ethiopia]], which was accused of [[War crimes in the Tigray War|war crimes during the Tigray War]]. Borrell said the situation in Ethiopia was "one of my biggest frustrations" of the year because the EU was not able to react properly to the large-scale human rights violations, "mass rapes using sexual violence as a war arm, killings and concentration camps based on ethnic belonging."<ref>{{cite news |title=Failure on Ethiopia sanctions 'my biggest frustration' this year, says EU's top diplomat |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/africa/news/failure-on-ethiopia-sanctions-my-biggest-frustration-says-eus-top-diplomat/ |work=Euractiv |date=14 December 2021}}</ref>

====2022====
[[File:Parliament call for massive increase of military assistance to Ukraine - 52408865825.jpg|thumb|Borrell speaks to the [[European Parliament]] in 2022.]]
On 22 February 2022, after Russia recognised the breakaway [[Donetsk People's Republic]] and [[Lugansk People's Republic]] and subsequently sent troops into the two regions, Borrell issued a statement condemning the actions and called upon Russia to return to the tenets of the [[Normandy Format]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/800562.html |title=EU calls on Russia to abandon decision to recognize so-called 'LPR/DPR' – Borrell's statement |website=Interfax-Ukraine |date=22 February 2022 |access-date=11 April 2022}}</ref> Following the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russian invasion of Ukraine]] on 24 February, Borrell and European Commission president [[Ursula von der Leyen]] were part of an EU delegation visiting Kyiv on 8 April.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-eu-chief-offers-kyiv-fast-track-to-membership/a-61409635 |title=Ukraine: EU chief offers Kyiv fast track to membership |website=Deutsche Welle |date=8 April 2022 |access-date=11 April 2022}}</ref> Borrell said he wants EU countries to confiscate frozen [[List of countries by foreign-exchange reserves|foreign-exchange reserves]] of the Russian central bank—which amount to over $300 billion—to cover the costs of rebuilding Ukraine after the war.<ref>{{cite news |title=EU should seize Russian reserves to rebuild Ukraine, Borrell tells Financial Times |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-should-seize-russian-reserves-rebuild-ukraine-borrell-says-ft-2022-05-09/ |work=Reuters |date=9 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Germany open to Russian Central Bank asset seizure to finance Ukraine's recovery |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/eastern-europe/news/germany-open-to-russian-central-bank-asset-seizure-to-finance-ukraines-recovery/ |work=[[Euractiv]] |date=17 May 2022}}</ref>

In September 2022, he welcomed a [[UN Human Rights Office report on Xinjiang|UN report]] on the [[Persecution of Uyghurs in China|human rights abuses]] of the [[Uyghurs|Uyghur]] minority in China.<ref>{{cite news |title=EU welcomes UN report on China's human rights abuse |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/world/others/eu-welcomes-un-report-on-chinas-human-rights-abuse20220901222549/ |work=[[Asian News International]] |date=1 September 2022}}</ref>

On 13 October 2022, when speaking at the European Diplomatic Academy's inauguration ceremony in Bruges, Belgium, Borrell declared that "Europe is a garden and the rest of the world is a jungle." He added that the garden could be invaded by the jungle and that the gardeners would need to travel there in order to defend it.<ref>{{Cite web |title=EU's Borrell under fire for calling outside world a 'jungle' |date=16 October 2022 |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/europe/2022/10/16/eus-borrell-under-fire-for-calling-outside-world-a-jungle/}}</ref> On 18 October, in response to his comments, the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (United Arab Emirates)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates]] summoned the acting head of the EU mission at UAE to explain Borrell's remarks, stating that the remarks were "inappropriate and discriminatory" and "contribute to a worsening climate of intolerance and discrimination worldwide."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2022/10/18/world/uae-eu-borrell-racist-comments-intl/index.html|title=UAE summons EU mission head to explain Borrell comments it says were racist|agency=Reuters|newspaper=CNN|date=18 October 2022|access-date=10 October 2022}}</ref>

====2023====
[[File:Secretary Blinken Participates in the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Session on Iran (52476651278).jpg|thumb|The second official G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting in [[Münster|Muenster]], [[Germany]]]]
[[File:Borrell-Li meeting (2023).jpg|thumb|Borrell with Chinese Defence Minister [[Li Shangfu]] on 4 June 2023]]
In March 2023, after the [[Ethiopia–Tigray peace agreement]] was signed and after talks with US Secretary of State [[Antony Blinken]], Borrell said that the European Union and the United States would normalize relations with Ethiopia "in a gradual way, step-by-step".<ref>{{cite news |title=EU, US to restore Ethiopia ties 'step-by-step' |url=https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/494103.aspx |work=[[Al-Ahram]] |date=4 April 2023}}</ref>

In April 2023, he criticised [[China]] for its [[China–Russia relations|support of Russia]], saying that "We have been clear with China that its position on Russia's atrocities and war crimes will determine the quality of our relations with Beijing."<ref>{{cite news |title=EU lashes out at China for support of Russia in Ukraine war |url=https://apnews.com/article/eu-china-blinken-russia-ukraine-61c81520b6a97e0a90c97a2402cda5b3 |work=AP News |date=4 April 2023}}</ref>

[[File:Ираклий Гарибашвили и Жозеп Боррель (17-02-2023).jpg|thumb|Borrell with Georgian Prime Minister [[Irakli Garibashvili]] on 17 February 2023]]
On 3 June 2023, [[Indonesia]]n Defense Minister [[Prabowo Subianto]] proposed a multi-point [[Peace negotiations in the Russian invasion of Ukraine|peace plan]] for the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]], calling for a ceasefire, a demilitarized zone observed and monitored by [[List of United Nations peacekeeping missions|UN peacekeepers]], and a U.N. referendum in what he called "disputed territory".<ref>{{cite news |last1=McBeth |first1=John |title=No takers for Prabowo's offbeat Ukraine peace plan |url=https://asiatimes.com/2023/06/no-takers-for-prabowos-offbeat-ukraine-peace-plan/ |work=Asia Times |date=8 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Indonesia proposes demilitarised zone, UN referendum for Ukraine peace plan |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/indonesia-proposes-demilitarised-zone-un-referendum-ukraine-peace-plan-2023-06-03/ |work=Reuters |date=3 June 2023}}</ref> Borrell criticized Prabow's proposal, saying that "We need to bring peace to Ukraine", but it must be a "just peace, not a peace of surrender."<ref>{{cite news |title=Ukraine dismisses 'strange' Indonesian peace plan |url=https://www.thejakartapost.com/world/2023/06/04/ukraine-dismisses-strange-indonesian-peace-plan.html |work=The Jakarta Post |date=4 June 2023}}</ref>

On 21 September 2023, Borrell released a statement which condemned the [[2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh|military operation by Azerbaijan]] against the Armenian population of [[Nagorno-Karabakh]] and deplored the casualties and loss of life caused by the offensive.<ref>{{cite web|title=Azerbaijan: Statement by the High Representative on developments in Nagorno-Karabakh|url=https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/azerbaijan-statement-high-representative-developments-nagorno-karabakh_en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230921193704/https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/azerbaijan-statement-high-representative-developments-nagorno-karabakh_en|archive-date=21 September 2023}}</ref>

He condemned the "barbaric and terrorist attack" by [[Hamas]] on Israel, which started the [[Gaza war]]. On 10 October 2023, Borrell accused Israel of breaking international law by imposing a [[October 2023 Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip|blockade of the Gaza Strip]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Israel is acting against international law, says Borrell |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/israel-acting-against-international-law-says-eu-diplomat-josep-borrell/ |work=Politico |date=10 October 2023}}</ref> On 3 January 2024, he condemned the comments of the Israeli ministers [[Itamar Ben-Gvir]] and [[Bezalel Smotrich]], writing, "Forced displacements are strictly prohibited as a grave violation of [international humanitarian law] & words matter."<ref>{{cite news |title=Israeli Officials' Calls For 'Voluntary' Migration Of Palestinians Alarm Human Rights Experts |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/calls-for-voluntary-gaza-migration-alarm-human-rights-experts_uk_65965f78e4b0f27b6e365382 |work=HuffPost |date=4 January 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eus-borrell-says-israel-financed-creation-gaza-rulers-hamas-2024-01-19/|title=EU's Borrell says Israel financed creation of Gaza rulers Hamas|publisher=Reuters}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/eus-borrell-accuses-israel-of-creating-and-financing-hamas/article67759920.ece|title=EU's Borrell accuses Israel of 'creating' and 'financing' Hamas|work=The Hindu|date=20 January 2024 }}</ref> In March 2024, Borrell said Israel's depriving food from Palestinians was a serious violation of international humanitarian law, and described the [[Flour massacre]] as "totally unacceptable carnage".<ref>{{cite news |date=1 March 2024 |title=Deaths of Palestinians seeking aid 'unacceptable': EU top diplomat |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/3/1/israels-war-on-gaza-live-mass-shooting-of-aid-seekers-condemned-globally?update=2741209 |work=[[Al Jazeera English|Al Jazeera]] |archive-date=1 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240301014654/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/3/1/israels-war-on-gaza-live-mass-shooting-of-aid-seekers-condemned-globally?update=2741209 |url-status=live}}</ref> German Chancellor [[Olaf Scholz]] confronted Borrell over his months-long criticism of Israel, saying Borrell did not speak for Germany.<ref>{{cite news |title=Germany's Scholz lashed out at EU foreign policy chief over Gaza stance |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/olaf-scholz-josep-borrell-benjamin-netanyahu-karl-nehammer-lashed-out-at-eu-foreign-policy-chief-on-gaza-stance/ |work=Politico |date=16 April 2024}}</ref>

====2024====
[[File:Josep Borrell Fontelles and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (P064258-39523).jpg|thumb|Borrell with President of Kazakhstan [[Kassym-Jomart Tokayev]] in Astana, 1 August 2024]]
In April 2024, Borrell "strongly condemned" the [[April 2024 Iranian strikes against Israel|Iranian strikes on Israel]], calling them "an unprecedented escalation and a grave threat to regional security".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stubb, Orpo condemn Iran's "reckless" attack on Israel |url=https://yle.fi/a/74-20083582 |access-date=14 April 2024 |website=Yle |date=14 April 2024 |archive-date=14 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240414095955/https://yle.fi/a/74-20083582 |url-status=live}}</ref> Previously in March 2024, Borrell had stalled efforts by nine EU foreign ministers to sanction Iran over its missile and drone program, because he felt that new sanctions might hamper efforts to bind Iran to a nuclear non-proliferation deal.<ref>{{cite news |date=27 March 2024 |title=EU erwägt neue Iran-Sanktionen |url=https://www.spiegel.de/panorama/europa-eu-erwaegt-neue-iran-sanktionen-a-ac8272a9-8507-419b-8ea8-fa768cee91bb |work=[[Der Spiegel]] |language=de}}</ref>

On 15 May 2024, Borrell called on Israel to immediately halt its [[Rafah offensive|assault on Rafah]], stating it was disrupting humanitarian aid and causing a humanitarian crisis, while also calling on Hamas to release all [[Gaza war hostage crisis|Israeli hostages]].<ref>{{cite web |title=EU calls on Israel to halt Rafah operation |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/israeli-forces-conduct-operations-in-rafah-northern-gaza/7612776.html |website=Voice of America |date= 15 May 2024 }}</ref> Borrell condemned the [[Tel al-Sultan attack]], saying that Israel's military actions needed to stop.<ref>{{cite web | last=Ebrahim | first=Nadeen | title=Israeli strike that killed 45 at camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah a 'tragic error,' Netanyahu says | website=CNN | date=27 May 2024 | url=https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/27/middleeast/gaza-rafah-displaced-people-camp-israel-strike-mime-intl/index.html }}</ref>

==Post Brussels, 2025–present==
In May 2025, after his retirement as an EU diplomat, Borrell spoke out against Israel's actions, accusing Israel of committing [[Gaza genocide|genocide in Gaza]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite|news|last1=Jones |first1=Sam |date=9 May 2025 |title=Israel committing genocide in Gaza, says EU's former top diplomat |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/09/israel-committing-genocide-in-gaza-says-eus-former-top-diplomat |access-date=9 May 2025 |work=[[The Guardian]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250510092805/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/09/israel-committing-genocide-in-gaza-says-eus-former-top-diplomat |archive-date=10 May 2025}}</ref>

==Other positions==
;Corporate boards
* [[Abengoa]], member of the board of directors (2009–2016)<ref name="auto1"/><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.lainformacion.com/economia-negocios-y-finanzas/borrell-mitiga-la-perdida-en-abengoa-aun-tiene-600-000-euros-invertidos-en-bolsa/6432459/|journal=La Información|title=Borrell mantiene 600.000 euros en bolsa y es el ministro más 'rico' del Gobierno|date=13 October 2018|last=Alonso|first=Cristina}}</ref>

;Non-profit organizations
* European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed), member of the board<ref>[http://www.iemed.org/presentacio-en/liemed/junta-de-govern Advisory Council] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016032531/https://www.iemed.org/presentacio-en/liemed/junta-de-govern |date=16 October 2021 }} European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed).</ref>
* [[European Movement International]], member of the board of trustees<ref>[http://www.fundacionfocus.com/web/en/fundacion/organos-gobierno/ Board of Trustees] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612144212/http://www.fundacionfocus.com/web/en/fundacion/organos-gobierno/ |date=12 June 2018}} [[European Movement International]].</ref>
* Fundación Focus, member of the board of trustees<ref>[http://www.fundacionfocus.com/web/en/fundacion/organos-gobierno/ Board of Trustees] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612144212/http://www.fundacionfocus.com/web/en/fundacion/organos-gobierno/ |date=12 June 2018}} Fundación Focus.</ref> 
* Graduate School for Global and International Studies, [[University of Salamanca]], member of the advisory board<ref>[https://globalandinternationalstudies.com/advisory-council/ Advisory Council] Graduate School for Global and International Studies, [[University of Salamanca]].</ref>
* [[Reporters Without Borders]] (RWB), member of the emeritus board<ref>[https://rsf.org/en/emeritus-board Emeritus Board] [[Reporters Without Borders]] (RWB).</ref>

==Honours==
===National honours===
* 1996 : [[Order of Charles III|Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III]]<ref>{{Smallcaps|Presidencia del Gobierno}}: {{Cite journal|title=Real Decreto 994/1996, de 10 de mayo, por el que se concede la Gran Cruz de la Real y Muy Distinguida Orden de Carlos III a don José Borrell Fontelles|journal=[[Boletín Oficial del Estado]]|issue=115|date=11 May 1996|page=16601|issn=0212-033X|url=http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/1996/05/11/pdfs/A16601-16601.pdf}}</ref>
* 2000 : [[Order of Isabella the Catholic|Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic]]<ref>{{Smallcaps|Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores}}: {{Cite journal|title=Real Decreto 38/2000, de 14 de enero, por el que se concede la Gran Cruz de la Orden de Isabel la Católica a don Josep Borrell Fontelles|journal=[[Boletín Oficial del Estado]]|issue=13|date=15 January 2000|page=1960|issn=0212-033X|url=http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2000/01/15/pdfs/A01960-01960.pdf}}</ref>
* 2007 : [[Order of Civil Merit|Grand Cross of the Order of the Civil Merit]]<ref>{{Smallcaps|Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores y Cooperación}}: {{Cite journal|title=Real Decreto 603/2007, de 4 de mayo, por el que se concede la Gran Cruz de la Orden del Mérito Civil a don Josep Borrell Fontelles|journal=[[Boletín Oficial del Estado]]|issue=108|date=5 May 2007|page=19456|issn=0212-033X|url=http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2007/05/05/pdfs/A19456-19456.pdf}}</ref>
* 2011 : [[Order of Constitutional Merit|Medal of the Order of Constitutional Merit]]<ref name=":4">{{Smallcaps|Ministerio de la Presidencia}}: {{Cite journal|title=Real Decreto 675/2011, de 9 de mayo, por el que se concede la Medalla de la Orden del Mérito Constitucional a don Josep Borrell Fontelles|journal=[[Boletín Oficial del Estado]]|issue=111|date=10 May 2011|page=47773|issn=0212-033X|url=http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2011/05/10/pdfs/BOE-A-2011-8197.pdf}}</ref>
* Doctor ''[[honoris causa]]'' by [[Universidad de Valladolid]] (Spain, 2024).<ref>{{cite news|title=Borell, un agradecido doctor honoris causa de la Universidad de Valladolid|url=https://www.abc.es/espana/josep-borrell-recibe-doctorado-honoris-causa-universidad-20240119170630-vi.html|date=20 January 2024|journal=ABC (Edición nacional)|location=Madrid}}</ref>
* 2024 : Grand Cross - White Decoration - of the [[Cross of Aeronautical Merit]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2024-11942|title=Real Decreto 560/2024, de 11 de junio, por el que se concede la Gran Cruz del Mérito Aeronáutico con distintivo blanco a las personas que se citan.|author-link=Ministerio de Defensa (España)|date=12 June 2024}}</ref>
* Doctor ''[[honoris causa]]'' by [[Universidad Pontificia Comillas]] (Spain, 2025).<ref>{{cite news|title=Josep Borrell, new Doctor Honoris Causa|url=https://www.comillas.edu/en/josep-borrell-nuevo-doctor-honoris-causa-por-comillas/|date=12 February 2025|location=Madrid}}</ref>

===Foreign honours===
* 2015 : Commander of the [[Legion of Honour|Légion d'Honneur]] (France)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/politica/20150714/54433916335/josep-borrell-recibe-la-legion-de-honor-francesa.html|title=Josep Borrell recibe la Legión de Honor francesa|website=La Vanguardia|date=14 July 2015|access-date=18 July 2019}}</ref>
* 2022 : Third Class of the [[Order of Merit (Ukraine)]] {{citation needed|date=September 2024}}
* 2025 : [[File:JPN Kyokujitsu-sho 1Class BAR.svg|55px|ribbon bar]] [[Order of the Rising Sun|Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun]] (Japan)<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/100928066.pdf|title= 2025 Autumn Conferment of Decorations on Foreign Nationals|access-date= 4 November 2025|date= 3 November 2025|website= Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan}}</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Recepción al Cuerpo Diplomático 2019 03 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Josep Borrell and Cristina Narbona during a reception of the Diplomatic Corps in 2019]]
Borrell was first married to French sociologist Carolina Mayeur. The marriage produced two sons: Joan, a diplomat, and Lionel, an aircraft pilot.<ref name=mellado>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.abc.es/estilo/gente/abci-josep-borrell-y-cristina-narbona-casan-secreto-tras-decadas-juntos-201811221222_noticia.html|journal=[[ABC (Spain)|ABC]]|title=La "boda discreta" de Josep Borrell y Cristina Narbona
|last=Mellado|date=22 November 2018|first=A}}</ref> Borrell and Mayeur divorced in the 1990s. {{citation needed|date=September 2024}}

Since 1998, Borrell has been in a relationship with [[Cristina Narbona]], a Spanish [[PSOE]] politician and former Minister of Environment (2004–2008) in the [[Zapatero administration]].<ref name="bio">[http://www.el-mundo.es/documentos/2004/04/espana/nuevogobierno/cristinanarbona.html Cristina Narbona], ''[[El Mundo (Spain)|El Mundo]]'' {{in lang|es}}</ref> The couple, resident in [[Valdemorillo]] since 2001, married in July 2018.<ref name=mellado /><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://elpais.com/elpais/2018/11/22/gente/1542887497_904522.html|journal=[[El País]]|title=Josep Borrell y Cristina Narbona se casan en secreto|date=23 November 2018 }}</ref>

In 2019, he acquired [[Argentine nationality law|Argentine citizenship]] through descent, stating that he wished to honour the memory of his father, who grew up in [[Mendoza, Argentina]].<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://elpais.com/politica/2019/07/17/actualidad/1563361959_638114.html?id_externo_rsoc=TW_CC.html|journal=[[El País]]|title= Borrell adquiere la doble nacionalidad argentina y española|date=17 July 2019|last1=Alberola|first1=Miquel}}</ref>

Borrell speaks [[Spanish language|Spanish]], [[Catalan language|Catalan]], [[Italian language|Italian]], [[French language|French]] and [[English language|English]].<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://elpais.com/politica/2018/06/05/actualidad/1528198130_707037.html|journal=[[El País]]|title=Josep Borrell, ministro de Exteriores|date=5 June 2018|first=Anabel|last=Díez}}</ref>

He has been a keen participant in the annual festivity in his native [[Pobla de Segur]] descending the [[Noguera Pallaresa]] river, in which the stream is rowed down by the partakers as [[Log driving|log drivers]] ({{italics correction|''raiers''}}).<ref name=pobladesegur /><ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/1999/mayo/14/nacional/borrellbiografia.html|title=Biografía de José Borrell|date=14 May 1999}}</ref>

===Corrupt share dealing ===
In November 2018, the national stock market regulator in Spain concluded that Borrell traded shares of the company Abengoa while in possession of insider information.<ref name=euo1>{{cite web | url=https://euobserver.com/eu-political/146106 | title=&#91;Feature&#93; Borrell: From controversy to EU's top diplomat | date=30 September 2019}}</ref>  Borrell was fined 30,000 euros for the breach.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.efe.com/efe/english/world/spain-s-foreign-minister-fined-for-insider-trading-sparking-calls-to-resign/50000262-3825834 | title=Spain's foreign minister fined for insider trading, sparking calls to resign}}</ref>

== Electoral history ==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;margin:1em auto;"
|+ Electoral history of Josep Borrell
! scope="col"| Election
! scope="col"| List
! scope="col"| Constituency
! scope="col"| List position
! scope="col"| Result
|-
| [[Majadahonda]] [[1979 Spanish local elections|municipal election, 1979]]
| PSOE
| align=center | –
| align=center | 5th (out of 17)<ref>{{Smallcaps|Junta Electoral de Zona de San Lorenzo del Escorial}}: {{Cite journal|page=4|journal=Boletín Oficial de la Provincia de Madrid|issue=55|date=6 March 1979|url=http://bibliotecavirtualmadrid.org/bvmadrid_publicacion/i18n/catalogo_imagenes/grupo.do?path=1124310|title=Candidaturas}}</ref>
| ''Elected''
|-
| [[1986 Spanish general election|Spanish general election, 1986]]
| PSC–PSOE
| align=center | [[Barcelona (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Barcelona]]
| align=center | 8th (out of 33)<ref>{{Smallcaps|Juntas Electorales Provinciales}}: {{Cite journal|journal=[[Boletín Oficial del Estado]]|issue=121|date=21 May 1986|page=11|title=Candidaturas proclamadas para las elecciones al Congreso de los Diputados y al Senado convocadas por Real Decreto 794/1986 de 22 de abril|issn=0212-033X|url=https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/1986/05/21/pdfs/C00001-00071.pdf}}</ref>
| ''Elected''
|-
| [[1989 Spanish general election|Spanish general election, 1989]]
| PSC–PSOE
| align=center | [[Barcelona (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Barcelona]]
| align=center | 5th (out of 32)<ref>{{Smallcaps|Juntas Electorales Provinciales}}: {{Cite journal|journal=[[Boletín Oficial del Estado]]|issue=235|date=30 September 1989|page=30724|title=Candidaturas proclamadas para las elecciones al Congreso de los Diputados y al Senado, convocadas por Real Decreto 1047/1989, de 1 de septiembre|issn=0212-033X|url=https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/1989/09/30/pdfs/A30711-30794.pdf}}</ref>
| ''Elected''
|-
| [[1993 Spanish general election|Spanish general election, 1993]]
| PSC–PSOE
| align=center | [[Barcelona (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Barcelona]]
| align=center | 2nd (out of 32)<ref>{{Smallcaps|Juntas Electorales Provinciales}}: {{Cite journal|journal=[[Boletín Oficial del Estado]]|issue=112|date=11 May 1993|page=13996|title=Candidaturas proclamadas para las Elecciones al Congreso de los Diputados y al Senado, convocadas por Real Decreto 534/1993, de 12 de abril|issn=0212-033X|url=https://boe.es/boe/dias/1993/05/11/pdfs/A13981-14076.pdf}}</ref>
| ''Elected''
|-
| [[1996 Spanish general election|Spanish general election, 1996]]
| PSC–PSOE
| align=center | [[Barcelona (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Barcelona]]
| align=center | 2nd (out of 31)<ref>{{Smallcaps|Juntas Electorales Provinciales}}: {{Cite journal|journal=[[Boletín Oficial del Estado]]|issue=32|date=6 February 1996|page=3983|title=Candidaturas proclamadas para las Elecciones al Congreso de los Diputados y al Senado, convocadas por Real Decreto 1/1996, de 8 de enero|issn=0212-033X|url=https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/1996/02/06/pdfs/A03974-04036.pdf}}</ref>
| ''Elected''
|-
| [[2000 Spanish general election|Spanish general election, 2000]]
| PSC–PSOE
| align=center | [[Barcelona (Congress of Deputies constituency)|Barcelona]]
| align=center | 2nd (out of 31)<ref>{{Smallcaps|Juntas Electorales Provinciales}}: {{Cite journal|journal=[[Boletín Oficial del Estado]]|issue=39|date=15 February 2000|page= 6987|title=Candidaturas proclamadas para las elecciones al Congreso de los Diputados y al Senado, convocadas por Real Decreto 64/2000, de 17 de enero|issn=0212-033X|url=https://boe.es/boe/dias/2000/02/15/pdfs/A06975-07058.pdf}}</ref>
| ''Elected''
|-
| [[2004 European Parliament election|European Parliament election, 2004]]
| PSOE
| align=center | [[Spain (European Parliament constituency)|Spain]]
| align=center | 1st (out of 54)<ref>{{Smallcaps|Junta Electoral Central}}: {{Cite journal|journal=[[Boletín Oficial del Estado]]|issue=120|date=18 May 2004|page=18939|title=Candidaturas proclamadas a las elecciones de Diputados al Parlamento Europeo, convocadas por Real Decreto 561/2004, de 19 de abril, a celebrar el 13 de junio de 2004|issn=0212-033X|url=https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2004/05/18/pdfs/A18938-18951.pdf}}</ref>
| ''Elected''
|-
| [[2019 European Parliament election|European Parliament election, 2019]]
| PSOE
| align=center | [[Spain (European Parliament constituency)|Spain]]
| align=center | 1st (out of 51)<ref>{{Smallcaps|Junta Electoral Central}}: {{Cite journal|url=https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2019/04/30/pdfs/BOE-A-2019-6475.pdf|journal=[[Boletín Oficial del Estado]]|issue=103|date=30 April 2019|issn=0212-033X|title=Resolución de 29 de abril de 2019, de la Presidencia de la Junta Electoral Central, de proclamación de candidaturas a las elecciones de diputados al Parlamento Europeo convocadas por Real Decreto 206/2019, de 1 de abril, a celebrar el 26 de mayo de 2019|pages=46867–46920}}</ref>
| ''Elected''
|}

==Publications==
;Authored books
* {{Cite book|last=Borrell Fontelles|first=José|title=Métodos matemáticos para la economía: campos y autosistemas|publisher=Pirámide|year=1981|location=Madrid}}<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|url=https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/autor?codigo=864|title=Josep Borrell Fontelles|website=Dialnet|language=es|access-date=18 July 2019}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web|url=http://datos.bne.es/autor/XX840564.html|title=Borrell Fontelles, José (1947–)|website=datos.bne.es|language=es|access-date=18 July 2019}}</ref>
* {{Cite book|last=Borrell Fontelles|first=José|title=La república de Taxonia: ejercicios de matemáticas aplicadas a la economía|publisher=Pirámide|location=Madrid|year=1992}}<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Josep Borrell: La República de Taxonia. Ejercicios de Matemáticas aplicadas a la Economía|first=Dídac|last=Ramírez Sarrió|journal=Revista Econòmica de Catalunya|issn=1135-819X|issue=21|year=1992|pages=130–131}}</ref>
* {{Cite book|year=1998|title=Al filo de los días|first=José|last=Borrell|location=Madrid|publisher=Cauce}}<ref>{{Cite journal|journal=[[La Vanguardia]]|url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/politica/20040420/51262791158/josep-borrell-y-rosa-diez-iran-en-los-dos-primeros-puestos-de-la-lista-europea-del-psoe.html|title=Josep Borrell y Rosa Díez irán en los dos primeros puestos de la lista europea del PSOE|date=20 April 2004}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1998/04/21/espana/893109619_850215.html|journal=[[El País]]|title=Borrell: ''He aprendido de González que no basta con tener razón si no está socialmente aceptada''|first=Juan|last=González Ibáñez|date=21 April 2018}}</ref>
* {{Cite book|last=Borrell Fontelles|first=José|orig-year=1976|year=2015|title=Aplicaciones de la teoría del control óptimo a la planificación económica|publisher=[[Universidad Complutense de Madrid]], Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales}}<ref name=":9">{{cite thesis|url=https://eprints.ucm.es/53961/ |title=Aplicaciones de la teoría del control óptimo a la planificación económica |language=es |publisher=Biblioteca de la Universidad Complutense|access-date=18 July 2019}}</ref><ref name=":10"/>{{refn|group=n.|2015 [[open-access]] version of his unpublished [[PhD thesis]], read in 1976.}}
* {{Cite book|first=Josep|last=Borrell|title=Los idus de octubre. Reflexiones sobre la crisis de la socialdemocracia y el futuro del PSOE|year=2017|location=Madrid|publisher=Editorial Catarata}}<ref>{{Cite web|work=Entreletras|url=http://entreletras.eu/index.php/portadas/31-libros-2016/224-los-idus-de-octubre-reflexiones-sobre-la-crisis-de-la-socialdemocracia-y-el-futuro-del-psoe-de-josep-borrell.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190730201733/http://entreletras.eu/index.php/portadas/31-libros-2016/224-los-idus-de-octubre-reflexiones-sobre-la-crisis-de-la-socialdemocracia-y-el-futuro-del-psoe-de-josep-borrell.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 July 2019|first=Pilar|last=Guerrero|title='Los idus de octubre', Reflexiones sobre la crisis de la socialdemocracia y el futuro del PSOE de Josep Borrell}}</ref>
;Co-authored books
* {{Cite book|title=El modelo dinámico multisectorial de crecimiento económico, empleo y redistribución de la renta|first1=Antonio|last1=Abadía|first2=Óscar|last2=Fanjul|first3=Josep|last3=Borrell Fontelles|location=Madrid|publisher=Fundación del Instituto Nacional de Industria|year=1981}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.march.es/actos/101049/|publisher=[[Fundación Juan March]]|title=Josep Borrell|date=2017}}</ref>
* {{Cite book|last1=Borrell|first1=Josep|last2=Missé|first2=Andreu|title=La crisis del euro: de Atenas a Madrid|publisher=Turpial|location=Madrid|year=2012}}<ref name=":7" />
* {{Cite book|last1=Borrell|first1=Josep|last2=Llorach|first2=Joan|title=Las cuentas y los cuentos de la independencia|publisher=Editorial Catarata|location=Madrid|year=2015}}<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Las cuentas míticas de la Catalunya independiente. El supuesto expolio fiscal que sufre Catalunya se basa en datos y razones que no son ciertos.|first=Andreu|last=Missé|journal=Alternativas Económicas|issn=2014-9204|issue=28|year=2015|page=58|url=https://alternativaseconomicas.coop/articulo/libros/las-cuentas-y-los-cuentos-de-la-independencia-las-cuentas-miticas-de-la-catalunya}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=n.}}

== References ==
{{reflist|3}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Wikiquote-inline}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050508093331/http://www.europarl.eu.int/president/defaulten.htm?biography Official biography]
* [https://embassynews.co.in/josep-borrell-calls-the-eu-members-to-shoulder-more-responsibilities-themselves/ Josep Borrell] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221011022325/https://embassynews.co.in/josep-borrell-calls-the-eu-members-to-shoulder-more-responsibilities-themselves/ |date=11 October 2022}}
* [https://www.cidob.org/lider-politico/josep-borrell-fontelles Biography by CIDOB] (in Spanish)

{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[José Víctor Sevilla Segura]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Secretary of State of Finance|years=1984–1991}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Antonio Zabalza]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Javier Sáenz de Cosculluela]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Ministry of Public Works|Minister of Public Works and Environment]]|years=1991–1996}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Rafael Arias-Salgado]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Pedro Solbes]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Joint Congress-Senate Committee for the European Union#Presidents|President of the Joint Congress-Senate Committee for the European Union]]|years=1999–2000; 2000–2004}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Ana Palacio]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Pat Cox]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[President of the European Parliament]]|years=2004–2007}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Hans-Gert Pöttering]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Luisa Morgantini]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[European Parliament Committee on Development|Chairperson of the European Parliament Committee on Development]]|years=2007–2009}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Eva Joly]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Alfonso Dastis]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of Foreign Ministers of Spain|Minister of Foreign Affairs, the European Union and Cooperation]]|years=2018–2019}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Margarita Robles]]<br />{{small|(acting)}}}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Federica Mogherini]]|rows=2}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Vice-President of the European Commission]]|years=2019–2024}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Kaja Kallas]]|rows=2}}
|-
{{s-ttl|title=[[High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy|High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy]]|years=2019–2024}}
|-
{{s-hon}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Joaquín Almunia]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Leader of the Opposition (Spain)|Leader of the Opposition]]|years=1998–1999}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Joaquín Almunia]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Miguel Arias Cañete]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of European Commissioners by nationality#Spain|Spanish European Commissioner]]|years=2019–present}}
{{s-inc}}
|-
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef||before=[[Juan Manuel Eguiagaray]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Leader of the [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party|Socialist Group]] in the [[Congress of Deputies]]|years=1998–1999}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Luis Martínez Noval]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union}}
{{Von der Leyen Commission}}{{European Commissioners from Spain}}{{Party of European Socialists}}
{{Leaders of the Opposition (Spain)}}
{{Presidents of the European Parliament}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Borrell, Josep}}
[[Category:1947 births]]
[[Category:Politicians from Catalonia]]
[[Category:City councillors in the Community of Madrid]]
[[Category:Complutense University of Madrid alumni]]
[[Category:Foreign ministers of Spain]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Members of the 3rd Congress of Deputies (Spain)]]
[[Category:Members of the 4th Congress of Deputies (Spain)]]
[[Category:Members of the 5th Congress of Deputies (Spain)]]
[[Category:Members of the 6th Congress of Deputies (Spain)]]
[[Category:Members of the 7th Congress of Deputies (Spain)]]
[[Category:MEPs for Spain 2004–2009]]
[[Category:People from Pallars Jussà]]
[[Category:Polytechnic University of Madrid alumni]]
[[Category:Presidents of the European Parliament]]
[[Category:Spanish Socialist Workers' Party MEPs]]
[[Category:Spanish expatriates in the United States]]
[[Category:Directors of Abengoa]]
<!-- [[Category:Spanish European Commissioners]] -->
[[Category:European commissioners (2019–2024)]]
[[Category:Spanish European commissioners]]
[[Category:Presidents of the European University Institute]]
[[Category:Grand Cordons of the Order of the Rising Sun]]