German MEP Markus Pieper was chosen at the end of January to occupy the new position of envoy for small and medium-sized businesses at the European Commission – one of the highest in the hierarchy of the European executive. But the recruitment of this elected official from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) was notably contested by the European Commissioner for the Internal Market… a certain Thierry Breton.
This Monday, April 15, the German MEP finally announced that he was giving up the post, after a controversy which threatened the electoral campaign of President Ursula von der Leyen a few weeks before the European elections. The choice of a compatriot from the same party as the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen fueled accusations of favoritism.
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Especially since it took place a few weeks before a congress in Bucharest at the beginning of March during which the EPP group (of which the CDU is a part) gave its support to a second term for the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. The European Parliament demanded this Thursday, April 11, the cancellation of this appointment and the launch of a new procedure by a vote by a large majority.
Markus Pieper said he was the victim of a political campaign led by Thierry Breton, close to the liberal Renew group. “ Given the way in which Breton boycotted my entry into office from the start within the Commission, I currently see no possibility of meeting the legitimate expectations linked to this function », declared Markus Pieper this Monday April 15 evening to the German daily Handelsblatt. He claimed that the French commissioner was “ exclusively motivated by partisan politics “.
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Markus Pieper signed his contract on March 31 and was due to take up his duties this Tuesday, April 16. He should have reported it directly to Ursula von der Leyen and Thierry Breton – who is in charge of industry in particular. The grade 15 position, one of the highest in the European hierarchy, was to earn him remuneration of 18,430 euros gross per month, according to the official scale.
Ursula von der Leyen took note of this withdrawal. “ The President respects and at the same time regrets the decision of Markus Pieper to renounce taking office as Envoy for SMEs », declared this Monday evening, April 15, its spokesperson Éric Mamer, in a press release. “ The President decided to suspend the reopening of the selection procedure for the position (…) until the period following the European elections “, he clarified.
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Thierry Breton, as well as the Italian commissioners Paolo Gentiloni, the Luxembourger Nicolas Schmit and the head of diplomacy of the European Union, the Spaniard Josep Borrell, had cast doubt on “ transparency and impartiality » of the nomination procedure of Markus Pieper in a letter addressed to Ursula von der Leyen.
Two candidates, Czech MEP Martina Dlabajova from the Renew group, supported by Thierry Breton, and Anna Stellinger from the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, had reached the final stage of the recruitment procedure obtaining better evaluations than Markus Pieper.
