Brussels, 29/10/2015 (Agence Europe) - Only a year on from the end of the Barroso Commission and nine former European commissioners have joined multinational groups.
In a report published on Wednesday 28 October, the Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) has taken a look at how the 28 former commissioners have fared professionally. One third, it found, are working for companies, foundations or private think tanks (see EUROPE 11199 and 11161).
In 2010, there was outrage at the number of commissioners going through revolving doors. José Manuel Barroso put in place a code of conduct that required former commissioners to behave with integrity. In the 18 months following the end of their terms of office, commissioners must “abstain” from lobbying the Commission. They are not, however, banned from taking any job.
The CEO report reveals that former competition, then digital commissioner Neelie Kroes (Netherlands) now has an advisory position at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Viviane Reding (Luxembourg) sits on the boards of the Swiss-based mining company Nyrstar and the Bertelsmann Foundation (which has strong ties to the global media giant of the same name). She has also joined the board of Agfa Gevaert, one of the world's leading medical technology companies. All this while sitting as a member of the European Parliament.
Former trade commissioner Karel De Gucht (Belgium) has joined the board of Proximus. This group declares annual spending of over €300,000 on lobbying in Brussels. De Gucht has also rejoined wealth management firm Merit Capital, where he sat before becoming a commissioner.
Janez Potocnik (Slovenia), the former environment commissioner, has become the chairman of the Forum for the Future of Agriculture, a lobby group set up in 2008 by Syngenta, the world leader in pesticides. Former transport commissioner Siim Kallas (Estonia) has become a consultant to IT company Nortal which sells transport and logistical solutions.
Others have joined private think tanks. Barroso himself has accumulated 22 new roles or honorary positions, ranging from the influential Bilderberg to the European Business Summit. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *