Source: European Parliament
1. Former Commissioner for the internal market, Mr Thierry Breton, was not exempted from notifying his envisaged post term of office activity with the Global Advisory Council of the Bank of America and he has complied with his obligation to notify the above-mentioned activity.
2. The answer is No.
3. The decision adopted by the Commission in reply to Mr Breton’s notification[1] contains the appropriate conditions and restrictions to ensure that Mr Breton’s activity for the Bank of America complies with the principles of integrity, discretion, confidentiality and collegiality to which he remains submitted.
In particular, Article 2 (3) rules out any Commission lobbying from Mr Breton, on behalf of the Bank of America, for a period of two years after ceasing to hold office .
Article 2(5) of the Commission Decision specifically recalls Mr Breton’s obligation to inform the President of the Commission, in a timely manner, if and when he has a doubt with regard to the application of the Commission Decision or the Code of Conduct for the Members of the European Commission[2], before acting on the matter in relation to which the doubt may have arisen.
- [1] Decision C(2025) 9000 of 15 January 2025, https://commission.europa.eu/about/service-standards-and-principles/ethics-and-good-administration/commissioners-and-ethics/former-european-commissioners-authorised-occupations_en
- [2] https://commission.europa.eu/about/service-standards-and-principles/ethics-and-good-administration/commissioners-and-ethics/code-conduct-members-european-commission_en