On Thursday 4 April, the European Commission stated that the procedure for appointing Germany’s Markus Pieper as the European Union’s SME Envoy complied with the rules in force. Meanwhile, four members of the European College are calling for an internal debate on this appointment, which is causing a stir in the European Parliament (see EUROPE 13340/37).
“The Commission has full confidence in the fact that the procedures were followed and that the person who was ultimately selected was selected based on his performance during the entirety of the selection process”, said Eric Mamer, chief spokesperson for the EU institution. He noted that there had been “no negative comments” following the College’s decision in early February to appoint Mr Pieper, after a proposal from the European Commissioner for Human Resources presented in agreement with the President, Ursula von der Leyen, and after consultation with the European Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton.
On Thursday morning, the Mattinale europeo newsletter revealed a letter sent to Ms von der Leyen by European Commissioners Nicolas Schmit, Paolo Gentiloni and Thierry Breton, as well as EU High Representative Josep Borrell, requesting a debate in the College on the questions raised in the European Parliament about the appointment of Mr Pieper, an EPP MEP from the German CDU, as President of the Commission.
According to Mattinale europeo, Mr Pieper’s performance in the selection procedure was less strong than that of the other two shortlisted candidates, Czech MEP Martina Dlabajová (Renew Europe) and Sweden’s Anna Stellinger, Deputy Director General of the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise. Ms Dlabajová’s entourage confirmed to Agence Europe that the MEP had lodged an appeal with the Commission’s Human Resources department.
According to Mr Mamer, at a meeting of the College, a European Commissioner can raise any subject he or she wishes. The spokesperson also indicated that Mr Pieper’s appointment had not been formally approved, in particular because the date for the start of the SME Envoy’s mission had not yet been decided.
At the European Parliament, Daniel Freund (Greens/EFA, German) tabled a parliamentary question to the Commission to shed light on this appointment. And MEPs may have to vote on the issue as part of a vote on the budget discharge granted to the Commission, during the mini-plenary session on 10 and 11 April in Brussels.
The NGOs Transparency International and Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) are calling for an in-depth investigation to shed light on this appointment procedure. CEO accuses Mr Pieper of pursuing an extreme deregulation agenda and of being one of the architects of the EPP group’s attacks in Parliament which led to the aborted appointment of Vazil Hudák as SME Envoy in 2021 (see EUROPE 12755/8). (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)