Von der Leyen under scrutiny as fellow party member Pieper nominated as EU SME envoy

Brussels – It has already been christened “Piepergate”, the latest headache for Ursula von der Leyen, making even more wobbly the commission chairwoman’s run to succeed herself at the Berlaymont. The nomination of MEP Markus Pieper, a current CDU (Christian Democratic Union of Germany, the same party as the leader of the EU executive) member of the European Parliament, as EU envoy for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is kicking up a political fuss in Brussels, so much so that it has led four EU commissioners to address a letter to President von der Leyen asking for explanations and, in all likelihood, MEPs to organize a special debate at next week’s mini-plenary.

It all started last Jan. 31, when the European Commission services disclosed the appointment of Pieper as EU SME envoy, to maintain close contact with the national SME envoys. He will come into office “later” and report directly to President von der Leyen and Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton. According to reports from the Berlaymont, Pieper would boast “an extensive experience and expertise in SME policies” as a member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (Itre) in this legislature (he has been an MEP since 2004) and would have demonstrated “a commendable track record” in strategic relations “with a diverse range of stakeholders, showcasing strong leadership, advocacy, and negotiation skills.”

However, the first doubts about the choice of Christian Democrat Pieper were raised on Feb. 29 by 12 MEPs from the Green/Ale, S&D, Renew Europe and The Left groups, who, in a written question, committed the Commission to answer about the “additional qualifications” that allowed Pieper to outperform other candidates in the selection process. In particular, MEPs have revived reports that “other female candidates from under-represented member states in positions of responsibility scored better in the three-step recruitment process.” For this reason, they raise “questions about the transparency of the process and the influence of the Commission president.” It is no coincidence that one of the questions posed to the College of Commissioners is precisely how much “the party affiliation of the successful candidate played a decisive role in his appointment.” Czech MEP Martina Dlabajová (Renew Europe), a candidate for the post, has already filed an appeal with the Commission’s Directorate-General for Human Resources.

The selected head of the CDU delegation to the European Parliament and EU envoy for small and medium-sized enterprises, Markus Pieper

While the first signatory of the question, German Green Daniel Freund points out that “after five weeks” since the request “, I still have not received an answer” from the EU Commission, for President von der Leyen the “Piepergate” is likely to become even more slippery after the letter sent by Commissioner Breton himself together with his colleagues Paolo Gentiloni (in charge of the Economy), Nicolas Schmit (for Labor and Social Rights, as well as Spitzenkandidat of the European Socialist Party) and Josep Borrell (Commission Vice President and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy) to request the possibility of further consideration. “We believe it would be appropriate for the College to collectively discuss the response to these allegations and the possible impact on the next steps in the recruitment process,” reads the letter from the four commissioners obtained by Euronews: “We look forward to the possibility of such a discussion in the college of commissioners at the earliest possible opportunity.” Beyond party affiliations (Gentiloni, Schmit, and Borrell are social democrats, Breton, a liberal), what would determine the action of the four commissioners was, according to Il Mattinale, the fact that Chairwoman von der Leyen herself would have bypassed the recommendation in favour of Dlabajová by Breton, the commissioner responsible for judging the most suitable candidate.

The Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton

In the face of all this, MEPs will, in all likelihood, include in the agenda of the April 10-11 mini-plenary session in Brussels an ad hoc debate on the “Pipergate”, while the same four political groups expressing the 12 signatories of the question to the Commission (Greens/Ale, S&D, Renew Europe and The Left) are drafting a formal request to the EU executive to demand the revocation of Pieper’s appointment. From the Berlaymont, the EU Commission’s Chief Spokesperson, Eric Mamer, tried to explain in today’s (Apr. 4) daily point with Brussels press that “this selection procedure was exactly the same as any other,” with the proposal put forward by the budget commissioner, Johannes Hahn (also from the European People’s Party family like von der Leyen and Pieper), “in agreement with the president.” Even though the various stages of the process “are not public,” the EU executive’s number one “has full confidence that the procedure was smooth,” Mamer added, pointing out that in the commissioners’ letter”, in fact, we were asked to respond to the Parliament, which we always do”. And in the event of a debate in the European hemicycle on “Piepergate” next week, “the Commission will take part.”