Interview with Annalaura Gallo – EU Travel Tech
You can listen to our first round of interviews now. In the first episode, we talk to Annalaura Gallo, Director of EU affairs at EU Travel Tech. EU Travel Tech represents online travel agencies, meta search sites, and global distribution systems for active in the European travel sector, defending their interests before the European institutions.
LISTEN HERE: SCIDA PODCAST #1 – Annalaura Gallo, EU Travel Tech
Annalaura has shared her views on the relationship between Google’s search services and the travel sector. She focuses particularly on explaining the issues related to self-preferencing and how this can create a disadvantage for different types of travel service providers. We discuss whether the DMA can address these problems, and why Google’s current compliance commitments under the DMA may fall short of their obligations under the DMA. Annalaura emphasises the importance of enforcing new regulations such as the DMA, and the need for a shift in mentality for both gatekeepers and end-users. She emphasises that it seems that gatekeepers should go beyond considering whether the cost of compliance is higher than non-compliance, and instead be ready to take the social responsibility that comes with their position.
Interview with Christina Oelke – VAUNET
For our second episode, , we talk to Christina Oelke. Christina is a lawyer, with experiences at prominent law firms, who now works as the deputy legal counsel for VAUNET, the German Association of Private Media, representing more than 160 members in Germany’s media landscape.
LISTEN HERE: SCIDA PODCAST #2 – Christina Oelke, VAUNET
In this interview, Christina highlights the changing media landscape. Just as regulation is catching up to the impact of search engines and social media platforms on the media sector, it is bracing for the impact of artificial intelligence and the increased use of voice-driven digital assistants. Christiana explains how media plurality and (well-funded) traditional media help to innovate, foster creativity, and even protect democracy. She asks of gatekeepers that they assume their responsibilities, while also remind end-users that we should be aware of the wider impact of our choices.
Interview with Guillaume Teissonnière – eDreams ODIGEO
In our third episode, we speak with Guillaume Teissonnière, General Counsel and Company Director at eDreams ODIGEO, which is active in the
areas of travel booking and meta search with five brands: Opodo, eDreams, GO Voyages, Travellink and Liligo. Guillaume is an experienced lawyer and has worked at the Brussels Bar in the areas of e-commerce, Tourism law, European law and IP/IT litigation, and has joined eDreams ODIGEO in 2016.
LISTEN HERE: SCIDA PODCAST #3 – Guillaume Teissonnière, eDreams ODIGEO
In the interview with Guillaume, we have focused on innovation in the travel booking industry and the need for data, diversity, and new ideas. Guillaume has explained how self-preferencing can harm competition in the travel sector, and what we can do to limit harms to competition. Guillaume calls on the Commission to enforce the DMA and clarify the law. Here, he emphasises that we should not focus too much on imposing remedies, but to treat the DMA for what it is: a list of do’s and don’ts. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the gatekeepers to comply with the law and to design compliant solutions. Guillaume also reminds end-users to embrace a diversity of services and to try new and innovative solutions. A similarity in travelling itself and the process of booking: be open to new experiences.
Interview with Kush Amlani – Mozilla
This episode we interview Kush Amlani, Global Competition & Regulatory Counsel at Mozilla. Mozilla is a non-profit backed technology organisation, known for the flagship Firefox browser. Mozilla is also recognised for its advocacy campaigns that champion privacy, human dignity, and an open internet.
LISTEN HERE: SCiDA Podcast #4 – Kush Amlani, Mozilla
Kush Amlani takes us through the competitive landscape in the browser space and shares insights from Mozilla’s research into effective choice screens. We also discuss the impact of DMA on enabling fairer competition in the browser market and the effectiveness of choice screens as they are today. As part of the conversation we also talk about the role of regulators, academics, challenger companies and gatekeepers in giving consumers real choice.
Interview with Clark Parsons & Felix Styma – Internet Economy Foundation
In this episode we had two guests, Clark Parsons, Managing Director, and Felix Styma, Senior Advisor, of the Internet Economy Foundation (IEF).
The IEF was founded to promote the interests of a diverse and innovative European digital landscape. The IEF has long been a proponent of ex ante regulation of digital markets and has published research on fair search and the monopoly problem in digital markets.
LISTEN HERE: SCiDA Podcast #5 – Clark Parsons & Felix Styma, Internet Economy Foundation
Clark and Felix discuss the emergence of the IEF and the challenges that stand in the way of European internet start-ups. They highlight how dependence on Big Tech and the risk of self-preferencing or acquisition can create investment kill zones, which may limit new initiatives and thereby hinder
competition and innovation. They emphasise the importance of enforcing the DMA and to ensure effective compliance by gatekeepers, and laud the rapid enforcement by the Commission in the early days of the DMA. We also discuss the role of national competition authorities, the importance of competition on the merits (for everyone, including the gatekeeper), and share their reflections on a successful future for the DMA.
Interview with Vanessa Turner – BEUC
In this episode we talk to Vanessa Turner, Senior Advisor for Competition at BEUC, the European Consumer Organisation. BEUC is the umbrella group for 45 independent consumer organisations from 31 countries, representing them in front of the European institutions. BEUC’s mission is to ensure that the EU takes policy decisions that improve the lives of consumers.
LISTEN HERE: SCiDA Podcast #6 – Vanessa Turner – BEUC
Vanessa talks about the relationship between gatekeepers, user choices, and the interests of business users, and how promoting consumer interests means promoting the interests of business users, competition, and innovation. We discuss topics ranging from the intricacies of user interface design, to the concerns about how artificial intelligence will develop in the (near) future. Vanessa emphasises the importance of enforcing the DMA, the testing of compliance solutions, and access to data to ensure that it is effective in achieving its objectives. She warns end users of the nudges embedded in the designs of digital products that are easy to miss, and cautions us to make informed choices.