Open Markets Institute Europe works to safeguard democracy and human liberty from concentrated corporate power. We do so through a combination of rigorous research and historical analysis, policy proposals that draw on both time-tested and novel approaches, strategic advocacy, and coalition building.

We believe that the balanced distribution of corporate power – and careful governance of that power – provides a foundation for the full flourishing of the individual, shared prosperity, and societal resilience. When economic power becomes too concentrated — whether in foreign hands or Europe’s own internal market — it threatens basic rights and freedoms, distorts politics, suppresses innovation, increases the cost of living, harms workers and entrepreneurs, and limits Europe’s ability to determine its own future.

Europe today faces a two-front challenge. In critical sectors, Europe has grown dependent on a small number of foreign monopolists, creating dangerous exposure to external coercion and extreme structural vulnerabilities. At the same time, rising consolidation within Europe’s internal market is concentrating private power in ways that weaken both democratic accountability and economic dynamism.

These risks are especially acute in markets that shape the flow of news and information. Centralised control of essential communications platforms, digital advertising systems, and media outlets — whether by foreign technology giants or local media oligarchs —distorts public debate, weakens independent journalism, and erodes the foundations of democratic life.

Fortunately, Europe’s governments already possess many of the tools they need to address these risks. But too often in recent years, they have failed to fulfil their responsibilities. At Open Markets, we believe the time has come for European policymakers to relearn how to govern markets to sustain innovation, opportunity, resilience, and ultimately the functioning of democracy itself.

What We Do

Our work includes:

  • Developing practical blueprints for more resilient, decentralised, and democratic markets and industrial structures across sectors

  • Advancing concrete legislative and regulatory proposals to strengthen European competition law, regulation, and governance

  • Publishing in-depth reports, policy briefs, and legal analyses on monopoly power, market concentration, and competition enforcement in Europe

  • Providing strategic analysis and recommendations to policymakers and regulators to support ambitious and effective strategies and enforcement actions

  • Intervening in public debate through op-eds, media engagement, and public commentary to highlight risks, challenge harmful narratives and promote democratic oversight of corporate power

  • Convening policymakers, academics, journalists, technologists, business leaders and civil society groups to build durable coalitions working towards open, innovative and resilient markets

OUR Vision

We envision a Europe where:

  • Concentrated private power cannot be used to distort public debate or democratic decision making, restrict the basic rights of individuals and businesses, or threaten the strategic autonomy of Europe

  • Critical infrastructure and information systems are open and accessible to all, not exploited by unaccountable monopolists – foreign or local

  • Workers, independent businesses, creators and publishers thrive free from monopoly control, coercion and extortion

  • Markets are open, democratic and resilient, and designed in ways that promote the broader public interest

  • Independent innovation flourishes, free from suppression or centralised control by gatekeepers or entrenched incumbents

In short, we seek a Europe where markets reinforce democracy — and where democracy governs markets.