Franz Fischler was born in Absam, Tyrol, Austria, on September 23, 1946. He studied agriculture at the University of Agricultural Sciences in Vienna, graduating with a PhD in 1973. He then held various academic positions until 1979. Fischler's career in the agricultural public sector began in 1979 when he joined the Tyrol Chamber of Agriculture. There, he focused on environmental issues, education and training, culture, and land-use planning until 1984, when he became Director of the Chamber. In 1989, he was appointed Austria's Federal Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, playing a key role in the negotiations for Austria's accession to the European Union. From 1995 to 1999, he served as the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development. Between September 1999 and 2004, he also oversaw the EU's fisheries policy. From 2005 to 2011, Fischler was President of the European Forum Alpbach. Since December 2004, he has been focussing on consultancy work, delivering lectures and speeches, and fulfilling his role as President of the Ökosoziales Forum Europa (Ecosocial Forum Europe).