Karel Van Miert
The European Commission held an inauguration ceremony of memorial plinth for Karel VAN MIERT, former European Competition Commissioner. A video of the ceremony is available here. I met him once, at a conference organized by the revue Concurrences three years ago. My impression: his reputation as someone who spoke his mind was not a myth. During the conference, VAN MIERT delivered a tough, vibrant speech against the State-sponsored industrial policy ethos.
As most readers know VAN MIERT was a flemish Belgian (read dutch-speaking). Yet, it seems that most of the ceremony took place in French (see the speeches of Barroso and Almunia). Quite funny, at a time where the country hosting the Commission is on the verge of linguistic explosion.
Chillin'Competition 
This was a good initiative for a great person.
One could sometimes feel that the construction of the European Union is too technical or difficult to understand and does not take individuals into account.
But keeping in mind that what we, European citizens, can enjoy today is the fruit of the efforts of many remarkable and passionate men and women, could help to change the view on the European project and recall its human dimension.
Honouring the memory of these men and women is certainly a way to build our European culture.
Pierre Sabbadini
25 June 2010 at 3:46 am