Market analysts estimate that in 2007 there were around 140 million Europeans online in the 5 countries where access to the web is most widespread: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. Online advertising was up 25 per cent on 2006. There is every reason to expect this double digit growth will continue for some time.

In this context, the Commission’s response to the Google/DoubleClick merger becomes one of the most important business stories of 2008. CNE has assembled a panel covering politics, the consumer and industry to comment on this key development, and to discuss the issues raised.

Given the importance and ubiquity of the market, what issues do the potential merger pose? How will the Commission view the US Federal Trade Commission's opinion that a merger is "unlikely to substantially lessen competition" What effect might the merger have on advertising strategy and budgets? Will concerns expressed by consumer and privacy groups be properly addressed?

Marco Pierani is Director of External Affairs for Altroconsumo, the Italian consumers’ organization. He joined Altroconsumo in 2002, after working as a lawyer mainly on Internet law, e-commerce, and telecommunication. He specialises now in Telecommunication, Internet and Intellectual Property related issues.

He maintains contacts with Regulatory Authorities, both Italian and European, and with operators.

Mr Pierani is member of the Working Group on competition issues of the European Consumer Consultative Group - DG SANCO European Commission as well as of the Special Commission on Intellectual Property and New Technologies at the Italian Ministry of Culture. He is also member of the Editorial Committee of the quarterly review Consumatori, Diritti e Mercato.

Marco graduated in Law at the University of Bologna and holds an LL.M. in European Business Law from the University of Nijmegen (NL). He is author of numerous articles on the Internet, e-commerce, telecommunication and consumer protection.

He is Member of Circolo dei Giuristi Telematici and On-line Mediator at Risolvionline of the Milan Chambre of Arbitration.

Sophie in’tVeld is a Member of European Parliament representing the Dutch social-liberal party D66. Although she is in her first term as member of Parliament, she was for several years secretary general of the ELDR-group in the Committee of the Regions.

Mrs In´t Veld studied medieval history. From 1993 she worked as assistant to former MEP Johanna Boogerd. She is a Member of the Committee on Economic & Monetary Affairs and a Substitute member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice & Home Affairs.

Wayne Arnold of the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising is undoubtedly one of the digital industry’s most experienced practitioners. He implemented his first online campaign in December 1995 in Hong Kong. Together with his brother Daryl, he co-founded Profero in 1998 and has since grown the business to be one of the worlds largest digital agencies with offices in Europe & Asia.

As CEO Europe he has successfully supervised some of the UK's most memorable media and creative marketing campaigns for an enviable client list including Channel 4, Johnson & Johnson, MINI, Puma and Talk to Frank (COI Drug awareness). Wayne has expanded the Profero client base by carefully positioning Profero as the only full-service agency of its kind.

As a pioneer in the digital space, Wayne has helped to develop many of the advanced marketing models now widely adopted for the web and in 2006 was appointed Chairman of the IPA’s Digital Marketing Group becoming the spokesperson for the digital advertising community.