We live in a new austerity world and a much more critical look must be taken of all public expenditure.  It is important that the European Parliament has regular contact with third country parliaments.  However, these contacts should be effective and cost-effective.  15 MEPs, representing the parliament’s political groups and a number of Member States, [...]

The European Parliament on 19 May voted themselves an additional €9.4 million for staff salaries, to help them cope with the additional work created under the Lisbon Treaty. Monthly staff budgets are currently €17 540 per MEP.  However justified this might be, this is hardly an appropriate time to increase MEPs’ expenses and shows an [...]

Over 350 mainly young people gave  European President Hermann van Rompuy an enthusiastic reception, at an event organized today by the European Movement, and held at The Bavarian Representation to the EU. He spoke for just 15 minutes on “After the LisbonTreaty – what can citizens expect?  Moving from design to delivery”, and answered questions [...]

Commission President José Manuel Barroso announced on 31 March the Commission’s 2010 Programme, with 34 strategic priorities, under four main elements: 1. Tackling the economic crisis and sustaining Europe’s social market economy. 2. Building a citizens’ agenda which puts people at the heart of European action. 3. Developing an ambitious and coherent external agenda with global outreach. 4. Modernising [...]

Further to the post of 25 January, Baroness Ashton is still under attack for not going to Haiti, notwithstanding  that the UN had requested that dignataries do not visit the island, so as not to disrupt the emergency aid activities.  She stated  then that Development & Humanitarian Aid Commissioner, Karel De Gucht, would go when [...]

President Obama did the EU a favour by deciding not to attend the scheduled 24-25 May EU-US summit in Madrid, for two reasons.  First, because he prevents Spain from ignoring the spirit of Lisbon.  Second, it will force the EU to rethink the whole issue of third country summits.  Athough originally apparently a US practice, [...]

The following letter will appear in European Voice on 21 January: Your report of Catherine Ashton’s hearing gave her two stars out of five (“Commissioners’ hearings”, 14-20 January).  You found her performance “uninspired and uninspiring” and stated that some members of the European Parliament were “exasperated” at “her evasive replies”. These views seem to echo [...]

“Do you know what it means for me to see for the first time in 50 years a French European commissioner in charge of the internal market, including financial services, including the City [of London]?” “I want the world to see the victory of the European model, which has nothing to do with the excesses [...]

Many reactions to the appointments of Herman van Rompuy as president of the European Council and Catherine Ashton as foreign policy chief have been negative.  They deserve a second thought. While the secrecy in which the appointments were made is disappointing, it is understandable that consensus was needed on this occasion; hopefully not next time [...]

We now have our new treaty, which is supposed to enhance the EU’s ability to act by improving the efficiency and effectiveness of its institutions and decision-making process.  At last, third countries will deal with a more unified entity; and will know the telephone number to call.  Or so we dream… What do we have [...]