EU supporters find it difficult to explain how their enthusiasm for the project is justified by outcomes and to relate its promises to its federal agenda. And they need to explain the lack of solidarity. The day before Europe Day (9 May 2020) Dacian Ciolos, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and ex-PM of … More Has ‘Europe’ Had its Day?

Britain must complete its disentanglement from the EU framework within the time agreed for the Transition, which should not be extended even though the pandemic has hindered the negotiations. Steve Bray, the annoying anti-Brexit campaigner, spent nearly four years braying through his loud hailer in Parliament Square and thrusting his posters in front of the … More Brexit – Is It Worth It?

Why does the euro survive its obvious disabilities? The Economist (TE), always a reliable supporter of the EU (perhaps because its focus is primarily economics) has an article in last week’s edition, which tells us why the Eurozone (EZ) will survive almost any shock (“Why the euro always survives until tomorrow”). We don’t agree, of … More In The Zone, or Zone Out?

The European Commission is willing to consider an extension of the current Transition period but the UK government is not; what are the implications? The UK Government insists that it will not extend the Transition Period during which we remain tethered by EU laws and regulations beyond 2020, despite the time lost for agreeing a … More The End Of Our Tether

“Europe has now become the world’s beating heart of solidarity” according to the President of the European Commission. This is an absurd claim. Sorry for our title but Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s apology to Italy for the EU’s collective response to the country’s covid-19 suffering is a far worse joke. This is what … More A Proper Gander

The proposed stimulus package was bound to be disputed and, if implemented, to increase financial deficits among suffering nations. They’re behind you! Oh no they’re not! Although Italy’s Finance Minister agreed the bailout [1] President Conte has not. “We will fight for eurobonds”, he said, “The ESM is a totally inadequate and improper instrument for … More What A Pantomime

Not all member states agree, yet. While the European Commission had not yet made its proposal the discussion was livening up. They’ve done it! Eurozone Council ministers have agreed a covid-19 bailout fund. Perhaps remembering that its title represents ‘the dismal science’, the EU’s weekly fanzine*, The Economist, reflected on what has just been agreed … More Eurozone Bail-out Agreed

“Now, it is more important than ever that journalists are able to do their job freely and precisely, so as to counter disinformation and to ensure that our citizens have access to crucial information.” Another worthy proclamation from EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen (31st March 2020) . This is hypocrisy because the EU … More This Information, Disinformation, No Information

The ECB continues to buy financial bonds from its members’ central banks. What does this mean and why are some members worried and others dissatisfied? Lagarde’s bond purchases have worried the eurozone’s creditor countries [1]. The ECB’s action was to prevent the collapse of Italy’s sovereign debt, triggering a domino effect on Spain and other … More Money Makes The Euro Go Aground

Reconciling the different needs and claims of EU member states is like chasing a rainbow, it never approaches equality. Today we took our permitted exercise walk and saw many pictures of rainbows in windows and on gates, drawn by children to help us stay cheerful—actually there’s been almost constant sunshine and no rain since the … More Somewhere Over The Rainbow