Despite the changed circumstances, the debate over the effectiveness of the ‘Community method’ as compared with ‘intergovernmentalism’, rages on.  Those who regard themselves as ‘true believers’ see the Community method as the Holy Grail.  There is a belief that the Community method equates to Jean Monnet’s methodology.  The European Council is anathema to them as [...]

The Commission President delivered to the European Parliament on 7 September his first State of the Union Message.  This comprised a catalogue of current problems without offering concrete remedies.  Implementation is the problem.  President Barroso has a great opportunity in his second term to make a mark.  But he should focus on a small number [...]

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 credibility gap between the political class and the people is widening in most Member States, but there is no consensus as to what to do.  The economic and financial challenges facing Europe require decisive leadership, but most national electoral systems make this difficult.  The remedies to overcome the economic and financial crisis involve ‘pain [...]

Do the EU leaders really want strong external representation?  The dispute over who should have represented the Union at the international talks on phasing out mercury in Stockholm on 7-11 June, puts this into doubt. The EU was unable to speak with a single voice, or even negotiate, at the First Session of the Intergovernmental [...]

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 [...]

The Schuman Plan of 9 May 1950 heralded 60 years of peace, stability and prosperity.  One death in Sarajevo in 1914 led to millions of deaths in Europe; thousands of deaths in Sarajevo in the 1990s did not for one moment affect the stability of western Europe.  Much has changed during these 60 years in [...]

The following article was punlished in the Bejing Review on 17 December 2009: A Final Delivery Implementation of the Lisbon Treaty will make for more simple and easier communication between European governments by Stanley Crossick After years of debate, disagreements and false starts, the European Union (EU) gave birth to the Lisbon Treaty, at long [...]

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 [...]