Margrietus Johannes van den Berg was born on 22 March 1946 in Ammerstol in the Netherlands.

In 1969 he received his degree in sociology in Groningen, where he specialized in urban planning and political science.

From 1969 to 1970 he was an academic staff member and lecturer at the sociology faculty of the University of Groningen.

[1] He was the leader of the PvdA delegation in the European Parliament, and from 1999 to 2004 he was also vice-chairman of the Committee on Development and Cooperation.

He is also a substitute for the Committee on International Trade and the Subcommittee on Human Rights, vice-chair of the delegation for relations with the countries of the Andean Community, a substitute for the delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, and a member of the temporary committee on policy challenges and budgetary means of the enlarged Union 2007–2013.