EU defends appointment of US economist in top job despite backlash [has become obsolete as Morton is not taking the job, see the link in the thread]

The appointment of Fiona Scott Morton, a former competition economist for the US Justice Department who has also lobbied on behalf of Apple, Amazon and Microsoft, has set off alarm bells in Brussels and Paris. Morton’s mandate would involve advising the EU Commission on investigations into alleged anti-competitive behaviour, proposed mergers, and the implementation of the landmark Digital Markets Act (DMA), the EU’s rulebook to rein in the market power of Big Tech firms.

0x815,

News of the day:

Fiona Scott Morton tells Margrethe Vestager she will not be taking up job due to ‘political controversy’

geissi,

Morton has been hailed an “antitrust warrior” for her critical stance on tech platforms, and previously claimed her side-gig consulting large firms, many of which have been targeted by EU anti-trust regulators, was important for her research and teaching.

While I understand being critical of any appointment for such an important position, I find the overall online discussion around this rather one-sided.
At the very least, she does seem to be quite qualified.

Questioning her loyalties is a very hypothetical argument and let’s be honest, it’s not like other top EU bureaucrats are unbiased and completely objective in their roles.

A more interesting and concrete argument I heard was that there seems to be a rule that EU officials must be recruited from the member states.
Does anyone know if such a rule actually exists and if it applies to this position?
If so, that would render all other discussion around this appointment obsolete.

sadreality,

Well looks like EU Commission sold out... good job.

superkret, (edited )

This is the first time someone not from the EU is put into a position with that much power over the EU economy and policy (The requirement of EU citizenship was removed from the job posting for her, and she announced that she got he job to her colleagues in Yale months before she was officially chosen).
She’s advised and worked with the exact same corporations she’s now supposed to control (especially big US tech firms, like Microsoft, Amazon and Apple).

And to appease the European Commission, it was announced that she won’t deal with these same corporations for the first 2 years of her job, to prevent a conflict of interest…
In a 3 year contract…
In a position overseeing these exact same companies in the tech sector of the EU market…

On a completely unrelated note, EU commission president Von Der Leyen is currently pushed to become NATO general secretary next year.

It leaves me speechless.

neuromancer,
@neuromancer@lemmy.world avatar

The one thing that rubs me the wrong way, is her history with conflict of interest. She knew that it would be unethical not to disclose she was working with Apple and Amazon, and she is defending what she did by saying she didn’t break any laws.

She knew it was wrong and did it any ways, it says a lot about a person.

HowRu68, (edited )

It leaves me speechless.

Agreed ( in retrospect not sure which lady you’re refering to, maybe both?)

Fiona Scott Norton has hardly started her job, and there is already so much controversy about her.

I don’t know anything about this person, but I can’t even start to magine what will submerge and happen, when something really sensitive and tough comes up ( like almost every thing that’s happening lately, GDPR, AI,etc).

European Commission should take their losses, and revoke her application ASAP.

GataZapata,

Why are people so disillusioned by politics? Why do they believe all the conspiracy myths? Why does no one vote, and why do all the nazi party's gain support? Why do so many people believe government is corrupt at all levfels and it doesn't matter anyways? It is an eternal mystery

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