Image: European Union
MEP Markus Pieper resigns from role before starting, amid concerns over hiring process
The MEP chosen to become the EU’s envoy for small and medium-sized enterprises has decided not to take up the role, amid controversy over how he was selected.
Markus Pieper (pictured) told the German newspaper Handelsblatt on 15 April that he was resigning from the post of SME envoy, which he was due to start the following day, because he could “see no possibility of fulfilling the legitimate expectations associated with the office”.
Pieper was appointed to the role within the European Commission in February and had signed a contract. But his appointment attracted criticism after the European Morning newsletter revealed that two candidates scored higher than he did in part of the selection process.
Accusations of political motivations
There were concerns that Pieper’s selection was politically motivated because he belongs to the same political party as Commission president Ursula von der Leyen. He would have reported to von der Leyen and EU internal market commissioner Thierry Breton.
More than a dozen MEPs wrote to the Commission asking for information about the hiring process, and several commissioners including Breton asked for the appointment to be discussed again, after it was approved in a meeting Breton did not attend.
The European Parliament then voted 382 to 144, with 80 abstentions, to express concern about the situation and ask the Commission to select a new candidate using a “truly transparent and open process”.
Pieper told Handelsblatt that he felt Breton had “boycotted” his appointment, later saying on social media that he felt this was politically motivated.
Delay to alternative appointment
Responding to the resignation on social media, Breton said that “transparency and collegiality are and should always remain our cardinal values”, adding that he hoped “that this important position for SMEs will be filled as soon as possible”.
The Commission’s chief spokesperson Eric Mamer said that von der Leyen “respects and regrets” Pieper’s decision, adding that the MEP was “a proven expert on SMEs [who] prevailed in a multi-stage selection process”.
Pushing back against the Parliament’s call for the selection to be redone, Mamer said that “the autonomy of each EU institution in appointing its senior officials must be respected”.
He said von der Leyen had decided to delay appointing a new envoy until after the European elections in June.