The appointment of an American, a former executive of the Obama administration, to a key post in the European Commission linked to the regulation of American tech giants provokes an outcry in France (AFP/Archives/Kenzo TRIBOUILLARD)
The appointment of an American, a former executive of the Obama administration, to a key post in the European Commission linked to the regulation of American tech giants has caused an outcry in France, where the government has asked Brussels to reconsider its choice.
“Digital regulation is a key issue for France and for Europe. This appointment deserves to be reconsidered by the Commission”, reacted Thursday evening on Twitter the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Catherine Colonna.
The EU executive announced earlier this week that Fiona Scott Morton, professor of economics at Yale University, had been chosen as the new chief economist at the Directorate General for Competition.
This service is responsible for ensuring the proper functioning of competition in the European Union and for investigating in particular the abuse of a dominant position by the digital giants, which has given rise to record fines in recent years.
Elected officials from all political backgrounds have singled out her former duties as head of economic analysis at the antitrust division of the US Department of Justice, between May 2011 and December 2012, or as a consultant for major tech groups such as Amazon, Apple and Microsoft.
Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna leaving the Elysee Palace on July 13, 2023 in Paris (AFP / Geoffroy VAN DER HASSELT)
This appointment comes at a time when the EU must implement ambitious new legislation to regulate this sector and fuels criticism of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, considered to be very Atlanticist.
In France, in addition to Ms. Colonna, two other members of the government were publicly surprised by this choice. “Europe has many talented economists,” noted the Secretary of State for Europe, Laurence Boone.
She said she had initiated a dialogue on the issue with the Commission, together with the Minister Delegate for Digital Jean-Noël Barrot.
– “Unethical” –
Ms. Scott Morton is due to take office on September 1, but her employment contract has not yet been signed, a source within the European executive told AFP.
“Hiring an American Gafam lobbyist at a time when Europe was finally deciding to limit their power is a shame. This appointment is clumsy at best, dangerous at worst (…), the Commission must give it up”, scolded the Conservative MEP Geoffroy Didier (Les Républicains).
The recruitment of Ms. Scott Morton is “a scandal”, castigated the environmentalist MEP Yannick Jadot, asking Ms. von der Leyen “to cancel this unethical appointment”.
Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, June 14, 2023 in Brussels (AFP/Archives/John THYS)
Asked by AFP, a Commission spokeswoman said that Fiona Scott Morton’s new role was to advise on economic issues to Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager.
She ruled out any risk of conflict of interest. Before appointing Ms Scott Morton, “the Commission carefully considered whether she had a personal interest likely to compromise her independence” and she will “not be involved in files on which she worked or of which she became aware in her employment previous”.
– “Gift to the United States” –
“As she has advised large groups such as Apple, Amazon and Microsoft”, this “would lead to the absurd scenario in which the chief economist of the competition authority would be kept out of important files” takes offense. German Green MEP Rasmus Andresen.
Ms Scott Morton has advised major groups such as Apple, Amazon and Microsoft (AFP/Archives/JUSTIN TALLIS)
The appointment aroused anger even within the European Commission.
“Everyone is wondering about this major gift made to the United States. Is it linked to von der Leyen’s possible candidacy for NATO?” Asks a senior official on condition of anonymity. “We walk on the head. Several commissioners are indignant and have made it known to the president,” he says.
This manager is also surprised by an apparent desire to make recruitment as discreet as possible: “the process was not transparent. This was quickly validated among the points not discussed during a meeting of the college of commissioners, without even specifying the American nationality of Ms. Scott Morton”.
The Commission justified the opening of the position to applications from outside the EU by “the very specific knowledge required”.
The European executive claims to have received only “a limited number of applications”. Ms Scott Morton “proved to be the best choice among these candidates, both in terms of her qualifications and her performance during the recruitment process”, explained the spokesperson.
© 2023 AFP
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