Quotes from Margrethe Vestager

We want a free market, but we know that the paradox of a 'free' market is that sometimes you have to intervene. You have to make sure it's not the law of the jungle but the laws of democracy that works.

On Amazon, you find retailers that want Amazon to do part of their services. Those, you don't find to the same degree on Google Shopping. On Google Shopping, you find sort of the bigger brands, those who want to have the customer relationship themselves - the data, the payment details, the search patterns.

To me, a tax heaven is where everyone pays their fair share. In that respect, I am not quite sure we are in tax heaven yet.

It's not in my mission to work against Euroskepticism; it's my mission to work for fair markets. In antitrust, what is at stake is, in some ways, as old as Adam and Eve because it is about greed, to get more.

We have to take our democracy back. We cannot leave it to Facebook or Snapchat or anyone else. We have to take democracy back and renew it. Society is about people and not about technology.

I think it's a completely good thing to want to do business, to want to make money and be a success in the marketplace, to get the attention of customers. I'm not in the business of pointing fingers or blaming companies, but there is a limit to everything.

Being a politician, I know how motivating it can be when the public is outraged.

I think a lot can be said for consolidation, but I think it should be done for the right reasons.

I get all my U.S. politics from 'The Daily Show.'

You need to have the advice from experienced people coming from different kinds of educational and backgrounds in general, and then you can make a decision. But you need people around you that you trust to give you advice, and you need to make sure that the facts of the case are presented.

I have learned that European politics is very much like Danish politics. You have all the rumours.

Consumers depend on us to make sure that competition is fair and open, and it's my responsibility to make that happen.

If you're in a situation where your effective tax rate is so much lower than any other company, then obviously you have a much better position when it comes to compete on prices and everything else.

A huge part of Apple profits generated in Europe, in African countries, Middle East, and India were all booked in Ireland. And I think it is a very basic principle in taxation that your profits are taxed where the profits are generated.

I think any company should compete on the quality of their products, their prices, the novelty they can produce, their services, because that would be fair competition.

Few people think about politics every day. But they are in the market every day.

You can be big, and you can be successful, but you cannot abuse your power to stop others from challenging you from being the next big thing in five or ten years.

Competition is one of the most important drivers of innovation because you have to stay in the race. You have to think of something new, and if you don't, well, of course you should leave the market.

Planning is like taking on blinders. I think it is a wise thing to be open to whatever shows up on your doorstep.

Elephants are social, thoughtful animals. They live in communities and - I have to say it - in matriarchal societies. They bear no grudge, but they remember well.

It is very important, to have a robust digital economy, that the citizens regain the trust in how their data are being processed and who can access them.

Dominant companies can't abuse their position to create advantage in related markets.

I've asked myself what is the worst thing that can happen if I take this decision and go along with it. Very often, I find that the worst thing that can happen is something that I can live with. And if that's the case, I will do it.

I have a very strong tool in competitional enforcement: To do merger control, to look into cartels, misuse of dominant position - when member states hand out favors, for instance, in terms of tax breaks. But even though that's a strong tool, it cannot solve everything.