In 2014, the E.U. depended on Gazprom, a state-controlled
Russian gas company, for one-third of the natural gas used in Europe. Meanwhile,
Russia depended on the company for export-earnings. Moreover, both the E.U. and
Russia view Gazprom from not only commercial vantage-points, but geopolitical
ones as well. Both dimensions were in the mix as the European Commission weighed
bringing anti-trust charges against the company in April 2015. At the time, the
E.U.’s executive branch was already formally pursuing Google on anti-trust
grounds. Relative to anti-trust enforcement in the U.S., the E.U.’s own
represents a formidable attempt to open up competitive markets. We can
generalize, in fact, to posit a more balanced “check and balance” between
business and government in Europe.
