About: Margrethe Vestager
Vestager takes aim at ‘biopower’ of tech giants
Global tech giants have been sowing the seeds of an economy predicated on 'biopower', amid the EU's attempts to rein in their dominance, the bloc's Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager has told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.
Commissioner hearings LIVE: Margrethe Vestager
The European Parliament is grilling the proposed members of Ursula von der Leyen’s Commission in a series of hearings between 30 September and 8 October. On Tuesday, Danish official Margrethe Vestager, nominated as Executive Vice President for Europe fit for the Digital Age, will be questioned by MEPs
CEOs reject watering down Commission’s antitrust powers
A group of European multinational chiefs proposed a modernization of the EU’s competition rules to face the rivalry of US and China’s companies in the digital age, but rejected France and Germany’s proposal to interfere in European Commission’s exclusive powers.
EU ready to act alone on digital tax if no global deal in 2020
European Union commissioners-designate said the bloc should agree on a digital tax if no deal on the matter was reached at a global level by the end of next year, ramping up pressure on multinationals accused of paying too little.
EU justice dismisses Starbucks tax ruling case, upholds Fiat
The EU general court rejected on Tuesday (24 September) the European Commission's decision that Starbucks had enjoyed a selective advantage in the Netherlands but confirmed assessment that Fiat had benefited from an unlawful tax ruling in Luxembourg.
A new team to defend Europe’s economic sovereignty
Achieving a “more assertive” Europe that can improve its competitiveness and sovereignty in an increasingly hostile world. These are the main guidelines of President-elect Ursula von der Leyen to the new College of Commissioners, unveiled on Tuesday (10 September).
Vestager the digital chief in name, but Goulard in practice
The EU's Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager received broad support on Tuesday (10 September) following her nomination as the Commission's Executive Vice President for Digital.
Commission fines Qualcomm €242 million over predatory pricing
EU antitrust authority fined €242 million Qualcomm due to the application of predatory prices, resulting in a breach of competition law, Commissioner Margrethe Vestager announced on Thursday (18 July).
Commission opens investigation into Amazon’s handling of data
The European Commission decided on Wednesday (17 July) to launch an antitrust investigation into US online retailer Amazon over its use of merchants' data, in a case that could set a precedent.
Von der Leyen spells out concessions to Parliament ahead of crunch vote
Putting carbon neutrality into law during first 100 days, a new “Just Transition Fund” or the nomination of two executive vice-presidents are some of the concessions listed by European Commission President nominee Ursula von der Leyen, according to the letters seen by Euractiv.
Vestager will stay in Brussels, even without EU Commission presidency
Danish EU Commissioner Margrethe Vestager will stay in Brussels for a second term, the Scandinavian nation’s new prime minister announced yesterday (26 June), even if she fails in her bid to become the next President of the European Commission.
EU job carousel keeps turning as new hires announced
While government leaders clashed Tuesday evening (28 May) over who should lead the main EU institutions, less glamorous yet important jobs were being doled out.
Gender balance becomes paramount in race for top EU jobs
Initial battle lines were drawn between member states over who will replace Jean-Claude Juncker as European Commission President on Tuesday (28 May) as EU leaders met to discuss “no names, just process”, in preparation for a decisive summit in June.
Parliament calls for Spitzenkandidat to be respected, liberals oppose it
The process of naming the next Commission president should respect the Spitzenkandidaten system, the leaders of the political groups in the European Parliament said in a joint statement on Tuesday (28 May), despite opposition from the liberal ALDE group.
EU leaders launch hunt to fill Brussels’ top jobs
European leaders descend on Brussels on Tuesday (28 May) to launch the hunt for a new generation of top EU officials in the wake of elections that shook up traditional alliances.
European election list leaders unite against the right
The main candidates for the European Commission's presidency opposed Manfred Weber, the candidate of the European People's Party (EPP), despite it being the group that will likely come out as the winner in the elections. EURACTIV France reports.
Commission fines AB InBev for protecting higher Jupiler beer prices in Belgium
The European Commission fined AB InBev, the world's largest brewer, €200.4 million for restricting cross-border sales of Jupiler to protect higher prices of its top-selling beer in Belgium.
Vestager calls for more access to data for smaller platforms
Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager made a suggestion at the re:publica conference in Berlin: "Access to data has to be redesigned so that newcomers can compete with big tech giants". In a discussion with EURACTIV, she also drew parallels with a recent complaint by Spotify and similar lawsuits. EURACTIV Germany reports.
MEP: ‘We are continuing to sell European spyware to dictators’
Welcome to the inaugural edition of EURACTIV's Digital Brief, your weekly update on all things digital in the EU. You can subscribe to the newsletter here.
Margrethe Vestager, a competitive approach to environmental policy
EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, a Liberal candidate to be the next Commission President, believes the key to improving Europe’s environment and fighting climate change will be implementing the laws already on the books.
Vestager campaigns on hostile French territory
Danish Commissioner Vestager, centrist figurehead and part of French Macronists' future family in the European Parliament, does not have support from the French government for fear she will stand in the way of French candidate Michel Barnier. EURACTIV France reports.
Force tech giants to share data rather than break them up: academics
EU antitrust regulators should consider forcing tech giants such as Google and Amazon to share their data with rivals rather than break them up, three academics enlisted by the European Commission said on Thursday (4 April).
Vestager woos Altmaier with industry pitch
European Commission candidate Margrethe Vestager found a lot of common ground with German economy minister Peter Altmaier on Monday (1 April), as the Dane’s campaign appeared to gain momentum.