Markus Pieper’s appointment to newly created position of EU SME Envoy
29.2.2024
Priority question for written answer P-000671/2024
to the Commission
Rule 138
Daniel Freund (Verts/ALE), Mikuláš Peksa (Verts/ALE), Sergey Lagodinsky (Verts/ALE), Ciarán Cuffe (Verts/ALE), Michael Bloss (Verts/ALE), Lara Wolters (S&D), Pascal Durand (S&D), Sophia in 't Veld (Renew), Michael Kauch (Renew), Alin Mituța (Renew), Katalin Cseh (Renew), Stelios Kouloglou (The Left)
At its 31 January meeting, the College of Commissioners appointed German MEP Markus Pieper (EPP/CDU) as the EU’s new SME Envoy. His recruitment, despite media reports claiming that other female candidates, from Member States under-represented in senior posts, scored better in the three-stage recruitment procedure, raises questions about the transparency of the process and the Commission president’s influence on the latter.
- 1.How did Markus Pieper score in relation to the other final applicants in the recruitment procedure’s internal and external assessments and with the Commissioner in charge of the portfolio, Commissioner Breton?
- 2.Given that the Commission’s senior officials policy requires recruitment be guided by three general principles (merit, gender balance and geographical balance) what additional qualifications put Markus Pieper ahead of the other candidates in the recruitment procedure?
- 3.Media reports suggest that the successful candidate’s party affiliation played a decisive role in his appointment. Can the Commission confirm that these media reports are wrong?
Supporters[1]
Submitted:29.2.2024
- [1] This question is supported by Members other than the authors:Anna Cavazzini(Verts/ALE),François Thiollet(Verts/ALE),Moritz Körner(Renew),Jan-Christoph Oetjen(Renew),Jens Geier(S&D)