This month the European Commission for the first time ever blocked an ex-Commissioner from taking up a job in the private sector. The former Internal Market Commission Charles McCreevy had to resign from his directorship at London-based banking start-up NBNK after Catherine Day, the Secretary General of the Commission informed him that the Commission was unable to approve the post. She told McCreevy that “should he wish to pursue this activity, a negative decision will be submitted to the Commission for adoption” on October 4.