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The EU watchdog responsible for investigating maladministration is probing the European Commission’s approval of Nicholas Banasevic, a former high-ranking EU antitrust official, joining Microsoft in a senior role dealing with competition and regulatory affairs.
ADVERTISEMENTThe European Ombudsman announced on Thursday the launch of an inquiry into Nicholas Banasevic’s transition from the EU executive to the private sector.Banasevic, a senior EU official with 25 years of experience in antitrust cases, first joined the law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in 2022 to represent clients in EU competition matters, and then moved to Microsoft in 2024 as Corporate vice-president and Head of Competition and Regulation for Europe. The investigation was triggered by a complaint made by Corporate Europe Observatory and LobbyControl, two NGOs advocating for more transparency in the institutions.They cited Mr. Banasevic’s “insider knowledge, professional experience, and the interests of his current employer” as grounds for “a strong suspicion that he has violated, and continues to violate, his obligations as an ex-EU-official.”The move from public office to private job has previously been approved by the Commission itself, a decision judged concerning by Corporate Europe Observatory and LobbyControlThe NGOs now assert that “Banasevic is leveraging knowledge gained during his time at the Commission to benefit his new employer, potentially to the detriment of the Commission’s interests”.“The Commission should never have granted Banasevic permission in the first place and should now retroactively withdraw it,” they added. When questioned in August on the case, a Commission spokeperson told Euronews that “former staff are permanently barred from working on any legal cases they were involved with during their tenure, including related appeals before the European Courts.”“Additionally, they are prohibited from disclosing unauthorised information received during their service unless it is already public,” the EU executive said, adding: “They must also continue to demonstrate integrity and discretion, particularly concerning accepting certain positions or benefits.” The Ombudsman sent a request for information to the European Commission, asking for documents related to how the decision made, as well as “any documents that the Commission holds in relation to the former DG Competition staff member’s new job with the large technology company.” The Ombusdman have given the EU executive until the 14 March to reply.
