If the euro becomes a factor promoting Europe's drifting apart, then the foundation of the European project is destroyed.
A lot of the American press at the time was saying 'just watch what happens when Bertelsmann tries to buy EMI, that will be a moment of truth that will show the Commission's true colors.' Well, that deal never happened either.
I am certain that most Germans have instinctive liking for Italy, just as Italians admire Germans for their many qualities.
So I think democracy, in the long-term, in our countries will survive if it comes to be associated with leadership, will not survive if democracy plus media brings to us more and more followship rather than leadership.
There was in Italy a hidden demand for a boring government which would try to tell the truth in non-political jargon.
My aspiration is not to be loved. It is that my government be respected and credible.
Dominant companies have a special responsibility to ensure that the way they do business doesn't prevent competition... and does not harm consumers and innovation.
In the area of macroeconomic policies, I think we'll see more centralization, like in the budgetary sphere.
That statement was not addressed to the authors of political statements. I said that I deplore attempts to misinform the public and to /trigger/ political intervention. And there were such attempts.
I don't believe we're seeing the beginning of a divergence. We have seen a partial divergence on this case.
Italy needed structural reforms to become more competitive.
I believe that in Europe, we have a collective leadership.
Italy even in the future will not need aid from the European Financial Stability Fund.
The Italian economy has been held back for decades.
The absence of political personalities in the government will help rather than hinder a solid base of support for the government in parliament and in the political parties because it will remove one ground for disagreement.
As to the question of elected or not elected, each member of the European Commission has been appointed jointly by the governments of the 15 member states, and undergone individual scrutiny and a vote of confidence from the European Parliament.
Like other antitrust agencies we make our assessment of a merger or antitrust case based on its impact on our jurisdiction, and not on the nationality of the companies. This is exactly what the U.S. antitrust agencies, the Justice Department and the FTC, do.
It is very unusual for a country to ask guys who are not politicians to come and run the country.
Reference to the territory and total disregard for the nationality of the companies is of course the best guarantee that competition assessment remain just that and doesn't get affected by trade or other considerations.
I have the most profound respect for the Department of Justice and the FTC. We in Europe are a younger and I would say junior institution to the historical antitrust experience of the US.
