The NGO Friends of the Earth Europe finds that the creation of a consulting firm by former Industry Commissioner Günter Verheugen can be considered a conflict of interests. The European Commission’s code of conduct states that former commissioners must seek authorisation from their former employer before taking up any activity within the year following their departure from office. In a letter sent to the Commission, on 31 August, the NGO states that the former Commission vice-president set up The European Experience Company in April 2010, just two months after his departure. Friends of the Earth asks the Commission to ban this activity. It states that the code of conduct on leaving the civil service to work in the private sector has been breached and that the company, specialised in European policy consulting, is based on Verheugen’s contacts at the Commission. The former German commissioner is co-director of the consulting firm with his former head of cabinet, Petra Erler. Verheugen was earlier called into question in connection with four positions in the private sector. Last July, however, the Commission gave him the green light for these activities.