José Ignacio Salafranca has been a Member of the European Parliament (1994-2014 and 2017-2019), where he has had different responsibilities (Vice President of the EPP Group, President of the Eurolat Parliamentary Assembly, of the Delegation of South America and Central America, Mexico and Cuba. Spokesman in the Foreign Affairs Committee; Rapporteur of the EU Agreements with Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Peru, Central America and Mercosur, among other positions). Salafranca holds a degree in Law and Diploma in European Integration (Diplomatic School of Madrid).

Among his previous responsibilities, he has also been:
- Ambassador of the EU in Argentina (2015-2017).
- Deputy chief of staff to European Commissioners Abel Matutes and Marcelino Oreja (1986-1994).
- Member of the EU Economic and Social Committee (2020-2025), where he has been a member of the Bureau of the Economic and External Relations Section and Vice-President of the European Commission's Domestic Advisory Group (DAG) for the Andean Community and Central America, and a member of the Transatlantic Relations Committee.
- Member of the Board and international advisor of Repsol (2014-2016) and Advisor for International and European Affairs to the President of CEOE (2020-2023).

Among his current responsibilities:
- Vice-President of the Spanish Federal Council of the European Movement.
- Board member and international advisor to different companies and think tanks in Europe and Latin America.