Margrethe Vestager, the Danish politician known for her role in handling digital and antitrust portfolios, is set to make a comeback to the European Commission as the antitrust chief. Vestager, who successfully imposed significant antitrust penalties on tech giant Google, faced a setback in her bid to lead the European Investment Bank, losing out to Spain’s Nadia Calviño, reported Politico.
Vestager expressed her intention to resume her duties at the European Commission after withdrawing from the race, citing the political consensus achieved in favor of Calviño. The return of Vestager to her former role has sparked speculation about her agenda for the remaining 11 months of her term.
Antoine Winckler, a partner at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, commented on the situation, noting, “She has another 11 months; it is very short. She has a lot of very important state aid cases, merger control, the Alitalia thing.”
Read more: EU’s Vestager Sees No Need For Regulation In The Metaverse
For followers of digital and competition matters, Vestager’s absence had been notable. She took leave just before the Commission unveiled its list of Big Tech gatekeepers as part of the Digital Markets Act, legislation she played a crucial role in developing. This act aims to empower enforcers to combat undesirable practices that antitrust cases had previously failed to fully address.
During Vestager’s absence, Thierry Breton, a French official who has positioned himself as the EU’s digital enforcer, assumed a significant role in the digital leadership vacuum. Breton has been actively engaged in addressing issues related to Big Tech and has confronted figures like Elon Musk’s company, X, over the dissemination of disinformation.
Vestager’s return is anticipated to bring fresh momentum to digital and antitrust initiatives within the European Commission, as she navigates through critical state aid cases, merger controls, and other pressing matters in the coming months, reported Politico.
Source: Politico
Featured News
Google and South Carolina Clash Over State Records Demand
May 8, 2024 by
CPI
Telefonica Germany Teams Up with Amazon Web Services to Migrate 5G Customers
May 8, 2024 by
CPI
Federal Judge Grants $7.4 Million Settlement in Pork Price-Fixing Case
May 8, 2024 by
CPI
Wilson Sonsini Bolsters Antitrust and Competition Practice with Key Partner Returns
May 8, 2024 by
CPI
EU to Scrutinize Telecom Italia’s Network Sale to KKR
May 8, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – Economics of Criminal Antitrust
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Navigating Economic Expert Work in Criminal Antitrust Litigation
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
The Increased Importance of Economics in Cartel Cases
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
A Law and Economics Analysis of the Antitrust Treatment of Physician Collective Price Agreements
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Information Exchange In Criminal Antitrust Cases: How Economic Testimony Can Tip The Scales
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI