in the midst of a controversy, the American Fiona Scott Morton refuses the post of chief economist of the directorate of competition

She throws in the towel. US economist Fiona Scott Morton, appointed to become chief economist at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition, announced on Wednesday July 19 that she was withdrawing from the recruitment process due to a “political controversy”. Her appointment by European Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager had provoked an outcry across the EU, with several officials denouncing the recruitment of a non-European, long employed by giants of the American technology industry.

In a letter sent to Margrethe Vestager, which the latter revealed on Wednesday morning on TwitterFiona Scott Morton says to herself “honored” to have been selected for this post, but finally refuses it because of the lack of “support” from the rest of the European Union. “It occurred to me that the best thing to do was to step down and not take the position of chief economist”wrote the recognized economist, who had advised the Barack Obama’s government, but also the companies Apple, Meta and Microsoft.

Fears of interference and conflict of interest

European elected officials from all sides denounced both a risk of conflict of interest and that of American interference in the heart of European institutions. Because the appointment of Fiona Scott Morton comes at a time when the EU must implement ambitious new legislation to regulate the digital sector, after the adoption of the recent DMA (Digital Markets Act) and DSA (Digital Services Act) regulations.

“Hiring a chief economist who is a former Gafam lobbyist at a time when the European Union wants to regulate these Gafams is a problem”also pointed to Conservative MEP Geoffroy Didier on franceinfo. Among other European officials, French President Emmanuel Macron had also expressed reservations about this recruitment, saying to himself “doubtful” Tuesday, after a summit in Brussels.