Margrethe Vestager bids farewell to Brussels as EU competition commissioner

Margrethe Vestager is set to bid a poignant farewell to Brussels and the European Commission as she prepares to step down from her role as commissioner. She will miss her team, to whom she has crafted small elephant gifts as a parting gesture. However, only her closest colleagues will receive one of these gifts, not the entire workforce of 900 who have worked with her.

Despite the bittersweet farewell, Vestager remains optimistic about the future of the EU. “I’m not the kind of optimist who sees the world through rose-colored glasses,” she stated in a recent interview, emphasizing the importance of a pragmatic outlook.

For the past decade, she has overseen EU competition policy, taking pride in significant victories against tech giants like Google and Apple. Following recent court rulings, Apple is required to pay nearly 100 billion kroner in back taxes to Ireland, and Google faces an 18 billion kroner fine for preferential treatment of its comparison shopping service.

While proud of these successes, Vestager expressed a desire to have accomplished more and faster during her tenure. She believes that clear regulations regarding market players will help mitigate illegal practices and ensure accountability, stating, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

Vestager maintains an optimistic viewpoint despite global challenges, including droughts, wars, poverty, and climate issues. She argues that proactive efforts can lead to change, as evidenced by ongoing legal actions against Google in the U.S. and new AI regulations being considered in Canada and Australia.

As she prepares to leave, her successor, Dan Jørgensen, will assume the role of energy and housing commissioner, focusing on reducing energy costs and investing in clean energy. Vestager’s future plans remain uncertain, but speculation about her potential appointment as the director of Denmark’s DR media organization persists.