11/09/2020 (Agence Europe) – The Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON), Irene Tinagli (S&D, Italy), confirmed to the press, on Friday 11 September, that the political group coordinators for the ECON Committee had endorsed the idea of holding a hearing of the CEOs of Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple as soon as the European Parliament reopens its doors to the public, to discuss anti-competitive practices in the digital world and in the field of taxation. Earlier this week MEP Stéphanie Yon-Courtin (Renew Europe, France) made a formal request to this effect (see EUROPE 12554/27). “This is not an investigation”, Tinagli said, but the hearing would allow GAFA CEOs to give their point of view and MEPs, who represent European consumers, to express theirs. The organisation of this hearing must now be confirmed by the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament political groups. (MF)