The Brussels Beat

A Tech Regulator and His Son's Warnings About AI

In this episode of the Brussels Beat, Javier Espinoza speaks with Werner Stengg, a member of the European Union's tech Commissioner Henna Virkkunen’s cabinet, and his fifteen year old son Jakob, with whom he has co-authored a dystopian AI novel in which a computer has decided to get rid of mankind. They discuss whether Europe’s digital laws are capable of preventing such a scenario, and whether Europe strikes the right balance between innovation and regulation.   They also explore: * Whether today’s digital regulators are out of touch with the needs of future generations. * The merits of restricting minors’ access to digital platforms as younger generations grow up alongside digital technologies. * The current transatlantic disagreements over the enforcement of Europe’s digital rulebook against Big Tech companies.

EU Antitrust Chief Warns New Merger Rules Won’t Give Dealmakers Carte Blanche

In this episode of The Brussels Beat, Javier Espinoza speaks with Teresa Ribera, the EU commissioner in charge of competition policy, about what to expect in the European Commission’s revamped merger guidelines and tensions with the U.S. over the bloc’s digital rules. They discuss the commission’s planned approach to evaluating deals, which Ribera said will consider economic benefits of a merger but maintain a high standard of proof.  They also explore: * The debate over whether lax merger control or market fragmentation is getting in the way of European “champions” * Why Donald Trump might personally want to get behind the EU’s Digital Markets Act * The limits of the commission’s planned “dialogue” with the U.S. on the bloc’s digital rules

French Competition Chief Says EU States Undermine Draghi’s Agenda

In this episode of The Brussels Beat, Javier Espinoza speaks with Benoît Cœuré, president of France’s competition authority, about growing tensions between EU ambitions for European companies to scale up and member states’ resistance to regulatory harmonization. They discuss why cross-border consolidation in sectors like telecoms, energy and finance remains limited despite calls from the Draghi report. They also explore: • What national antitrust enforcers can—and can’t—do to respond to the global energy crisis stemming from the U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran • The upcoming overhaul of EU merger guidelines and how efficiency arguments may be treated • His authority’s work policing no-poach agreements and studying the rapidly evolving market for AI chatbots

Booking.com CEO welcomes more regulatory scrutiny of OpenAI and Google

In this episode, The Capitol Forum's Europe Executive Editor Javier Espinoza sits down with Booking.com CEO Glenn Fogel to pull back the curtain on the shifting landscape of global travel. In this conversation they discuss: *  The strategic impact of the EU’s Digital Markets Act and what "gatekeeper" status actually means for the platform's bottom line. * How AI is transitioning from a buzzword to a tool that creates a frictionless, "Connected Trip" for millions of users. *  The delicate balance of maintaining dominance while fostering a fair ecosystem for small hotels and independent operators.

Spain's Competition Chief Backs EU Social Media Bans

The head of Spain's competition watchdog, Cani Fernández, sees room for national social media bans in the European Union. In an interview with The Capitol Forum, Fernandez who is president of the National Commission for Markets and Competition, told Europe Executive Editor that while the European Digital Services Act is strong, there is also "a margin of maneuver" for individual member states to go farther, including enacting national social media bans for minors. To learn more about The Capitol Forum, follow us on Bluesky and Linkedin.