Next Monday, the European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs will hold a hearing with the designated Executive Director of the European Banking Authority (EBA), Francois-Louis Michaud. The previous candidate, Gerry Cross, had been rejected by the European Parliament due to extensive lobby activities in the past. At the same time, the Parliament confirmed three male candidates for the SRB, against the votes of the Greens. We had voted against the candidates because of the lack of gender balance. With Michaud’s proposal, EBA is again opposing the demand of the European Parliament plenary for a gender balanced shortlist of at least two candidates for all top EU finance positions. The public hearing will take place on Monday 29 June at 5 pm. The vote is scheduled for Thursday 2 July at 5 pm.
MEP Sven Giegold, financial and economic policy spokesperson of the Greens/EFA group commented:
“The EBA Board of Supervisors has once again set itself on a collision course with the European Parliament with the proposal for its Executive Director. With the nomination of only one male candidate, EBA is going against the European Parliament’s requirement to nominate at least one woman and one man. In order not to undermine its own credibility, the ECON Committee should reject the nominated candidate on formal grounds and insist on a gender balanced short list. A list with only one person is a joke and not a list. With this renewed male-only nomination, male dominance in high-level EU financial positions would continue unabated. Gender equality would remain a pious hope.”
European Parliament resolution: Gender balance in EU economic and monetary affairs’ nominations
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-8-2019-0211_EN.html
Press release on the rejection of candidate Gerry Cross in plenary: