Upcoming Paris Event: Liberty or Democracy?

Who holds economic power in France and Europe – and what will it take to wrest it back?

On September 25 in Paris, leading regulators, political figures, economists, researchers and civil society leaders from France and across Europe will come together for a major conference examining how concentrated corporate power and Big Tech is reshaping France and Europe – and what can be done about it.

Across technology, media, food and critical supply chains, a growing number of markets are dominated by a handful of powerful corporations. The consequences reach far beyond competition: shaping what people pay, the choices they have, who controls critical infrastructure, information, and public debate, and ultimately Europe’s ability to determine its own future.

Yet French public debate has barely begun to grapple with the challenge.

This conference will tackle it head on. Speakers will examine the threats that market concentration and strategic dependencies pose to prosperity, democracy and sovereignty – before turning to the practical policies and political strategies that could distribute power more broadly.

Organised by Observatoire des multinationales, Open Markets Institute Europe and Rebalance Now, the conference will bring together perspectives from France, across Europe and internationally – and identify opportunities for action.

Confirmed speakers include Benoît Coeuré (Autorité de la concurrence), Laure de la Raudière (Arcep), Romain Laleix (Arcom), Pascal Lamy (Paris Peace Forum), Lucie Castets (Maire of the 12e arrondissement), Maud Sarda (Label Emmaüs) Cécilia Rikap (UCL), Alberto Alemanno (HEC/Good Lobby), Laure de La Raudière (Arcep), Sophie Taillé-Polian (Val de Marne deputy), Andreas Schwab (MEP, Germany), Nicolas Portier (SciencesPo), Célia Agostini (Cleantech for France), Cristina Volpin (OCDE), Fabrice Février (Fondation Jean Jaurès), Martin Hullin (Bertelsmann Stiftung), Barry Lynn (Open Markets Institute), Courtney Radsch (Center for Media & Digital Governance), Ulrich Müller (Rebalance Now), Percéval Renié (BEUC), and more.