Don't get mad, get even! - Hoofdinhoud

Last week the European Parliament stirred the feelings of quite some Americans. The majority of Parliament wants Google to split its search engine from its other activities in Europe. However, the European Liberals voted against. A parliament shouldn't interfere in the position of strong market players. In Europe we have a firm competition policy with the European Commission as a strong supervisor. When a company does not comply with the rules, action is taken. Think for example about the substantial fines given to Microsoft for its misuse of its strong market position and the limitation of consumer choice.

Of course I support the idea of emerging European counterparts of digital giants like Google and Microsoft. However, enforcing this through Parliament is not the way. Creating a competitive digital climate wherein our own European Googles and Yahoos can prosper is. This can be done only in one way; by completing the digital market and enforcing the competition laws based on facts. Only by doing this we can create better conditions for competition, growth and progress. The approach towards Google of the European Christian Democrats (EPP) and Social Democrats (S&D) is however not based on facts, but on an anti-American gut feeling.

If we want to reach a European digital market, two things have to be done. Firstly, establishing one European telecom supervisor instead of the 28 national supervisors. When Mark Zuckerberg had developed Facebook within Europe, he would have to comply with 28 different set of rules, ask for permission 28 times and proceed through 28 different procedures. There is nothing more discouraging for young, creative entrepreneurs. In a European digital market we make it easier for entrepreneurs, from the established multinational to ambitious start-ups, to develop new and innovative ideas. The European Zuckerberg, currently working on a brilliant idea in some student dorm, or the European Steve Jobs, thinking of a fantastic new product ready to conquer the world; need to be given the space and environment necessary to prosper.

The second element we need to create is a level playing field. Both the starting internet retailer in Poland and the established search engine in France need to have the same opportunities. This means fair competition realised through competition rules, equal consumer rights and a shared set of privacy rules throughout Europe. It also means guaranteed net neutrality and abolishing roaming costs within the European Union. The great plans of Neelie Kroes seem to be delayed by the Member States. Unacceptable according to us. My colleague Marietje Schaake therefore immediately sent a letter wherein she called for preserving the open internet and to not delay the abolishment of roaming tariffs.

Europe can and may not stay behind of the rest of the world in digital. If we make necessary reforms now and realise the European digital market, this will yield us a solid return on investment in the future in terms of jobs that we need so hard at the moment. I therefore call on the European Parliament, the Commission and the Member States to aim, together with the Liberals, for unity in the digital market.

Europe needs to go foreward now, not by keeping others small, but by creating healthy competition and focus on consumer interest. Only by doing this, we can grow towards a strong European digital climate with internet giants of European origin and a wide range of choice in quality for consumers.

This article was originally published in Dutch on www.dutchcowboys.nl

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Foto: CreativeCommons, Bruno Cordioli