Commissioner Vestager in transatlantic Citizens' Dialogue
On 22 September European Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager, took part in the first-ever transatlantic Citizens' Dialogue alongside Senator Mario Monti and Professor Joseph E. Stiglitz.
The three speakers debated, among other issues, the challenges of democracy in the digital age, latest developments in competition policy, and the fight against tax avoidance - all against the backdrop of EU-US relations. "Europe is open for business," said Commissioner Vestager, "It is not open for tax avoidance."
Mario Monti is a former Prime Minister of Italy and served as European Commissioner for Competition from 1999 to 2004; Professor Stiglitz is a recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics. A live video link connected the participants and their audiences, with Commissioner Vestager and Professor Stiglitz speaking from Columbia University in New York and Senator Monti from Milan. The audience comprised around 900 people: 700 in Milan and 200 in New York.
The event was part of this year's 70th anniversary celebrations of the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University.