Analyse
Vestager’s remark aligns with the **European Commission’s legal framework** (e.g., **Article 102 TFEU**), which explicitly bans abusive practices by dominant companies that distort fair competition, such as self-preferencing or exclusionary tactics harming startups. The **2017 Google Shopping case** (where Google was fined €2.42B for favoring its own services) directly exemplifies this principle in action. Her statement is a normative declaration of EU policy, not a disputable claim, and is consistent with decades of antitrust precedent. No evidence suggests the EU applies 'different rules' based on company size in enforcement.
Achtergrond
The statement was made during Vestager’s tenure as **EU Competition Commissioner (2014–2019)**, a period marked by high-profile cases against **Google, Apple, and Amazon** for anti-competitive behavior. The **Google Shopping decision** (June 2017) was the first of three major EU fines against Google for abusing its market dominance, totaling over **€8B by 2019**. EU competition law prioritizes 'level playing fields,' a core tenet Vestager repeatedly emphasized in speeches and enforcement actions.
Samenvatting verdict
Margrethe Vestager’s 2017 statement accurately reflects the EU’s antitrust enforcement principles, which prohibit preferential treatment for dominant firms over smaller competitors under EU competition law.