Albert Dess ( ; born 17 April 1947) is a German politician who served as Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 2004 until 2019. He is a member of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria, part of the European People's Party. Education and early career 1966: Agricultural college (graduated 1979: Master's in agriculture Secondary occupation as farmer Worked in commerce and industry Managing director of a farming cooperative 1977: Full-time farmer/training establishment Political career Career in local politics 1974: District Chairman of the Junge Union 1981: Member of the CSU district executive 1984: Municipal Chairman of the CSU District Chairman (1987), Regional Vice-Chairman (1989–1995) and Regional Chairman (1995) of the CSU Agricultural Association 1989: Member of the CSU district executive 1997: Member of the CSU Regional Executive Committee 1972–1996: Municipal Councillor, Berngau 1978: District Councillor, Neumarkt/Oberpfalz 1984–1996: Vice-Chairman of Neumarkt/Oberpfalz district council 1984–1996: Mayor of Berngau Member of the German Parliament, 1990–2004 1992–2004: Farm policy spokesman for the CSU Regional Group in the Bundestag 1997–2004: Member of the CDU/CSU Group Executive Committee 2000–2004: Chairman of the CSU Regional Group working party for Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Environment, Transport, Building and Energy Member of the European Parliament, 2004–2019 Dess was a member of the European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI). He was a substitute for the Committee on International Trade (INTRA), a member of the delegation for relations with Mercosur and a substitute for the delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly. In May 2018, Dess announced that he would not stand in the 2019 European elections but instead resign from active politics by the end of the parliamentary term. Controversy Outside Germany, Dess is best known for trying to introduce in the European Parliament a Volkswagen-written piece of legislation that would have exempted a whole class of vehicle from pollution controls. The proposal was dropped after the Volkswagen emissions violation scandal erupted and Dress has thus far refused requests to comment on his actions. Recognition 1998: Bundesverdienstkreuz with ribbon See also 2004 European Parliament election in Germany References External links 1947 births Living people MEPs for Germany 2004–2009 Recipients of the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Christian Social Union in Bavaria MEPs MEPs for Germany 2009–2014 MEPs for Germany 2014–2019 Members of the Bundestag for Bavaria Members of the Bundestag 2002–2005 Members of the Bundestag 1998–2002 Members of the Bundestag