Emilian Pavel was born in Salonta in 1983 and grew up in Oradea, a city in the North-Western region of Romania. He graduated from the ''Emanuil Gojdu'' National College and studied at the University of Oradea with a specialisation in engineering. He also holds a Master's Degree in environmental protection. Proficient at German, Emilian Pavel has worked with various German and Austrian investors in Romania. He has been involved in politics for over 12 years and he is one of the Vice Presidents of the Young Romanian Social Democrats organisation.
Emilian Pavel is now a Member of the European Parliament, working in the Committee of Employment and Social Affairs, and the Committee of Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. He is also a member of the Delegation for relations with Israel, Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee, Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean. His priorities in the European Parliament include youth entrepreneurship and employability, lifelong learning and education, Digital Agenda, and regional development.