The appointment of Germany’s Markus Pieper as SME Envoy at the European Commission is making waves, drawing protest from MEPs, transparency groups – and even senior officials within the Commission itself. The Commission’s spokesperson has argued the recruitment was fully in line with normal procedures, and Pieper is set to start his duties on 16 April. But Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has also been accused of a lack of transparency when hiring someone from her own German political party, the Christian Democrat Union, to a lucrative official post. Here are six things to know about …