On 2 October 2014, Margrethe Vestager, Member designate of the EC in charge of Competition, appeared before the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs of the European Parliament for a hearing to test her general competences, European commitment and specific expertise related to her portfolio. Margrethe Vestager had the opportunity to make an opening statement, she took part to a question and answer session and made a closing statement.Although the Parliament can only vote on the Commission as a whole, a negative assessment of one of the candidates has in the past already led to the candidacy being withdrawn and replaced. Margrethe Vestager was Danish Minister for Education and Worship, Minister for Education and Minister for Economic Affairs and the Interior.

Brussels

statement

Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

hearing

2014 Commissioners' hearings (T)

hearing of Margrethe VESTAGER (T)

Hearing of Margrethe VESTAGER (Denmark), Commissioner-designate for Competition: extracts from the statement by Margrethe VESTAGER

Title: Hearing of Margrethe VESTAGER (Denmark), Commissioner-designate for Competition: extracts from the statement by Margrethe VESTAGER 

Arrival shots of the Commissioner-designate, (7 shots)

SOUNDBITE (Danish), Margrethe VESTAGER, Commissioner-designate for Competition, "I'm hoping I can contribute to a better world, a world where people can realise their dream, provide for their families and learn as much as possible, a society where people can be at one with their environment, a society with a strong economy that will provide for future generations where people are free and diverse. And that is why as a Competition Commissioner I would work and strive for what I have always striven for during my political life and that is to make sure that we do not tremble on the feet of the great or the small that nobody is exploited by those who are prepared to do so."

SOUNDBITE (English), Margrethe VESTAGER , Commissioner-designate for Competition, "Impartiality and rigor on the facts, on the economics, on the law that will be the basis for my actions. I will listen to everyone, form the largest multinationals, to the representatives of small firms, from states to citizens, but the analysis of my staff and my own judgement will not be sawed by anyone."

SOUNDBITE (English), Margrethe VESTAGER , Commissioner-designate for Competition, "Competition plays a key role in the support of President-elects call for a burst to jobs, to investment, to address the global challenges to businesses, big and small alike. My overarching goal will be to tackle key obstacles to growth and innovation that creates jobs. Companies succeed when they compete on merits, but in important markets like energy and the digital sector, particular alertness is indeed needed to ensure that dominant players will respect the rules."

SOUNDBITE (English), Margrethe VESTAGER , Commissioner-designate for Competition, "The best way to prepare for competition abroad is to be competitive at home. This means of course that I will work in close cooperation with fellow Commissioners that is just one reason why competition is not a lonely portfolio."

SOUNDBITE (English), Margrethe VESTAGER , Commissioner-designate for Competition, "We need to show that we can deliver solutions where solutions at the European level are called for; in doing so, to quote President-elects, we must be bigger and more ambitious on big things and smaller and more modest on small things. Recent state aid modernisation has put us on the right track and will help us focus where our interventions are mostly needed, while relying on Member states to do what they do best."

SOUNDBITE (English), Margrethe VESTAGER, Commissioner-designate for Competition, "I will not hesitate to challenge behaviour of mayor players unduly squeezing out smaller competitors. I hope that I will find in you the same values, because competition policy is neither bureaucracy nor technicalities, it is values and these I have found in the European Parliament."