Source: European Parliament
Former Commissioners are free to continue their professional careers following their term of office as Members of the Commission.
This is a fundamental right enshrined, inter alia, in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. In line with Article 245 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and Article 11 of the Code of Conduct for the Members of the Commission, the Commission assesses former Commissioners’ envisaged post term of office activities in order to ensure the best possible balance between Former Commissioner’s individual right to work with the obligations of integrity and discretion to which they remain submitted following their term of office. There is therefore no contradiction whatsoever in the Commission’s approach.
The decision adopted by the Commission in reply to Mr Breton’s notification[1] contains the appropriate conditions and restrictions to ensure that his activity for the Bank of America complies with the principles of integrity, discretion, confidentiality and collegiality to which he remains submitted.
Article 12(4) of the Code of Conduct for the Members of the Commission indeed stipulates the procedure to appoint the Members of the Independent Ethical Committee and lays down the criteria under which they are chosen.
The Committee is perfectly independent, and the Commission does not intend to review the above-mentioned provision.
- [1] Decision C(2025) 9000 of 15 January 2020, available on the following website: https://commission.europa.eu/about/service-standards-and-principles/ethics-and-good-administration/commissioners-and-ethics/former-european-commissioners-authorised-occupations_en