February 16, 2010
The EU has failed its first test of external unity under the Lisbon Treaty. It is normal for governments to address messages of congratulation to heads of government/state after being democratically elected or confirmed. Such messages are usually synchronised in the EU, and this was agreed last week by EU ambassadors in Kiev in the… » read more
Posted by Stanley Crossick
February 12, 2010
With the above words, Peter Mandelson, former EU Trade Commissioner and now UK First Secretary of State, concludes a perceptive op-ed in today’s New York Times. Lord Mandelson identifies a mismatch between our expectations of China and China’s own assessment of its role and responsibilities. Today’s Chinese leadership is defined by two decades of Chinese… » read more
Posted by Stanley Crossick
February 10, 2010
China’s influence on the world stage steadily increases but European media reporting remains generally prejudiced against China. This is probably due to two main factors. First, bad news makes good news in the news world. Second, there are well-organized lobby groups hostile to China, namely Taiwan, Tibet and human rights, and also industrial sectors seeking… » read more
Posted by Stanley Crossick
February 9, 2010
Chas W. Freeman Jr spoke to the Global Strategy Forum on 20 January 2010 on the mounting speculation about China’s emergence as a global hegemon to rival and, perhaps in time, surpass the United States. This is the thrust of what he said: The US – which spends more on its military than the rest… » read more
Posted by Stanley Crossick
February 6, 2010
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,… » read more
Posted by Stanley Crossick
February 5, 2010
TO ALL CHINESE READERS This last year was an extremely difficult one for all of us. China has performed extraordinarily well economically in the global recession, which has helped see the acceleration of the trend of economic and financial gravity away from the West and to Asia . Barack Obama entering the White House was… » read more
Posted by Stanley Crossick
February 4, 2010
France and Germany sought the lifting of the EU arms embargo in 2004 but Washington insisted on the embargo being maintained. The embargo was lifted against Uzbekistan last October, despite continuing concerns about human rights in the central Asian nation. This leaves China in the company of a handful of countries, including Congo, North Korea,… » read more
Posted by Stanley Crossick
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, arms embargo, China, Partnership & Cooperation Agreement, PCA |
January 21, 2010
A casual reader of the European and American media might be forgiven for thinking that many people see the West losing out to China over trade. It is understandable that many, including of course those who have lost their jobs to China, see a rising trade deficit (EU €169 billion and US $268 billion in… » read more
Posted by Stanley Crossick
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, China, EU, international trade, protectionism, trade deficit, US |
January 20, 2010
“The right of the European citizen to move freely throughout the EU is the clearest and most important demonstration that the EU Treaties are ultimately concerned with individual freedom.” This is how Professor Sir David Edward, former European Court justice, prefaces a report published yesterday by ECAS (European Citizen Action Service) on better enforcement of… » read more
Posted by Stanley Crossick
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, citizens’ rights, ECAS, enforcement of EU law, free movement of persons |
In my first post of 11 October 2007, I wrote: “This is the beginning of an unknown journey for me. I hope that you find I have something worthwhile to say and that you will bear with me until I professionalise my blogging.” All I can say that I knew I was talkative but not… » read more
Posted by Stanley Crossick
Rated 6th most influential EU blog by Waggener Edstrom. European of British nationality, for nearly 30 years Bruxellois. Deep believer in the principle of 'mutuality' and Monnet's axiom "Thought cannot be divorced from action", equivalent to Wang Yangming
