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 following article appeared in the Beijing Review on  24 Decemeber 2009 Better Times Ahead The Lisbon Treaty and a new EU hierarchy point to greater stability and a resurgent dynamism By Stanley Crossick The year 2009 was a difficult one for the European Union (EU). The European Parliament elections, held in June, are always [...]

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 [...]

Everyone agrees that the European Union must get its act together.  The wrangling over the next EU-US summit shows that the EU won’t get it’s act together until the egotism of Member State leaders is brought under control.  Now it’s the turn of Spain, the current EU Presidency, which insists on hosting the summit and, [...]

The new treaty entered into force on 1 December; Hermann van Rompuy took office on 1 January; Cathleen Ashton, while already High Representative for Foreign & Security Policy, had to face her Europêan Parliament Hearing on 11 January; and the new Commission does not come into being until February.  And yet, to read the media, [...]

Lisbon Treaty and a new EU hierarchy point to greater stability and a resurgent dynamism” by Stanley Crossick, published in the Beijing Review 24 December 2009. “The year 2009 was a difficult one for the European Union (EU). The European Parliament elections, held in June, are always disruptive. The results were disappointing with a low [...]

Implementation of the Lisbon Treaty will make for more simple and easier communication between European governments By STANLEY CROSSICK Published in the Beijing Review 17 December 2009 After years of debate, disagreements and false starts, the European Union (EU) gave birth to the Lisbon Treaty, at long last, on December 1. First conceived on December [...]

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 [...]

I recommend that David Cameron views the four episodes of the BBC’s 1996 documentary on Britain and Europe, entitled The Poisoned Chalice, and he then has another look at the end of the political careers of Margaret Thatcher and John Major. A foolish commitment in 2005 to the Conservative euro-sceptics forced him to strip his [...]

It looks at last that the Lisbon Treaty will come into force – even as hoped for – on 1 January 2010.  Discussion so far has been mainly on whether Tony Blair should be given the first post, and to a lesser extent on what should be the determining criteria.  It seems clear that Blair [...]