 From 1999 to 2001, he worked at two agricultural development agencies in France, coordinating joint programmes with Romania in that field.From 2002 to 2003, as part of the European Commission's delegation to Romania, he helped manage SAPARD's implementation in his native country.From January 2005 to May 2007, he was an adviser to Romania's Agriculture Minister, and a representative in the Council of the European Union's Special Committee on Agriculture.