PARIS (Reuters) – France on Wednesday asked former President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso to give up to join the US investment bank Goldman Sachs, which raised an outcry recruitment in the European Union <. / p>
this job is “particularly outrageous, especially given the role played by the bank in the 2008 financial crisis but also of rigging public accounts of Greece,” said Harlem Désir, Secretary of State french European Affairs on current issues in the Assembly.
“Morally, politically, ethically, it is a fault on the part of Mr Barroso. this is the worst service that a former president of a European institution could make to the European project at a time in history when it has instead need to be sustained, upheld and strengthened, “he said.
“M. Barroso today with this deal the bed anti-European. I therefore appeal solemnly to give,” said Harlem Désir.
Goldman Sachs announced on July 15 recruitment of former President of the European Commission as an advisor and non-executive chairman of its international operations.
the hiring comes as the bank must prepare for the consequences of the release announced the UK of the European Union.
José Manuel Barroso chaired the 2004 EU executive in 2014 after Portugal’s prime minister in 2002-2004.
Goldman Sachs International is Headquartered in London, which are based less than a thousand of its 6,000 employees. Like other US investment banks, it is considered particularly vulnerable to the consequences of Brexit.
“CONFLICT OF INTEREST”
Its activities in Europe are in fact based in large part of the “European passport” that allows it to offer its services in all EU countries since it was licensed in one of them.
Several banks based in London have warned that if the output of UK soldait by the loss of this “passport”, they would transfer part of their workforce elsewhere.
José Manuel Barroso is supposed to help Goldman Sachs and its clients deal with “an economic environment and difficult and uncertain market,” explained the leaders of Goldman Sachs International Michael Sherwood and Richard Gnodde.
for France, this case raises a “major problem rules conflict of interest “on former members of the European Commission, said Harlem Désir.
today there is a code of conduct applicable to former Commissioners to 18 months after the end their mandate. But if Barroso shows that it is insufficient, said the French leader.
France therefore calls on the European Commission to strengthen those rules, particularly its president is “over pressure private interests, “he said.
” we need to extend the period of prohibition (…), expand incompatibilities and strengthen control, “said Harlem Désir. “It could be why an independent body in which are represented the European Parliament (….) and international lawyers to assess the risk of conflicts of interest” in such situations.
(Emmanuel Jarry, edited by Sophie Louet)
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