The former minister had asked for an opinion to join the company as executive vice-president in charge of the space division.
The High Authority for the Transparency of Public Life (HATVP) rejected a retraining project of the former Minister Delegate for Transport Jean-Baptiste Djebbari at the shipowner CMA-CGM, pointing out “substantial ethical risks”, according to a notice published on Tuesday.
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The ex-minister, who had already obtained the green light from the HATVP to sit on the board of directors of a start-up specializing in the construction of hydrogen vehicles, Hopium, wanted this time to become executive vice-president in charge of the space division that the CMA-CGM plans to create.
Given the files that the former minister had to manage – intermodality, civil aviation, satellite applications, ports or maritime transport – the HATVP considers that this position at the CMA-CGM would cause a risk of questioned “substantial” of “independent and impartial functioning of the administration“.
“With regard to the powers thus entrusted to the Minister Delegate for Transport, which are directly linked to the activities of the CMA CGM group, and given the importance of the latter, a leading operator in the field of maritime transport, the there would be a substantial risk of questioning the independent and impartial functioning of the administration if Mr. Djebbari joined this group“, Details the High Authority.
“Legitimate doubt”
She adds that the former minister has met the Chairman and CEO, or other senior executives of the CMA CGM group, at least eight times over the past three years and that, as such, a “legitimate doubtcould exist on the conditions of exercise of his functions as minister if he were to take the post.
The High Authority has also given the green light, but under very strict conditions, to the creation by the former minister of a consulting company. However, the HATVP warns the former LREM MP for Haute-Vienne against the criminal risk “illegal taking of interests» in cases where his future consulting company has a transport sector company as a client.
For a period of three years, he must also refrain from any approach, including the representation of interests, with members of the government or administrations in charge of transport.
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Last week, the Marseille shipowner announced a long-term partnership with Air France in air freight, at the end of which CMA CGM could take up to 9% of the air transport group.
SEE ALSO – Air France: “We are not considering new aid” announces Jean-Baptiste Djebbari