The possibility has been discussed at a senior level of creating a European Union Defence Force. We question the underlying motive, asking whether defence is needed internally as well as externally. For the latter we argue that NATO is sufficient. Some important features of nation states are still missing from the EU, including defence, police … More Ever Closer Defence

On May 10 Mario Draghi, President of the European Central Bank (ECB), addressed the Netherlands Parliament in Den Hague. He opens with some boiler-plate puff: “This year, we celebrate the 60th and 25th anniversaries of the Treaties of Rome and Maastricht. Despite the many challenges that we face as Europeans, we should never forget the significant … More A Draghi on Reform?

Guy Verhofstadt* is among the most vociferous supporters of the EU and strongly favours ever closer union towards a federal European government as the solution to its present persistent problems. Writing in the New York Times on May 16, he is enthusiastic about the implications of Emmanuel Macron’s substantial victory in the French presidential election. … More View from the parapet

There is not much news from home about Brexit because of the election next week. However, things progress on the Continent. First, it is interesting that the ECJ has decided that it is not necessary for all 34 national and regional parliaments to approve the trade agreement with Singapore, QMV will do. This has implications … More Onwards, and Upwards?

EU Finance Commissioner, Pierre Moscovici (who is a former French finance minister), asks that the EU should give Emmanuel Macon a chance. He said that his victory was a good signal for Europe because the French had chosen to beat extremism. He didn’t mention that about 11 million French citizens did vote for ‘extremism’ or … More Bonne Chance Avec Ça

Emmanuel Macron has big plans to revive France and the EU. In France he faces many difficulties, not the least of which is getting some La République En March! deputies into parliament in the forthcoming election. More relevant to this blog he has some quite radical ideas for reforming the EU but he will face … More France, Germany & EU

The question is often asked, ‘why is the EU so inflexible in its operations?’ There are no doubt many parts to the answer; one which we have offered is ideology, which permeates the foundations of the project and is held tenaciously by its leaders.  A related characteristic of the EU is its constitution. Now the … More Trick or Treaty?

Constitutionally Speaking The EU treaties are now in effect its constitution (although rejected by French and Dutch voters the constitution written by Giscard D-Estaing’s committee was incorporated almost word-for-word under the Lisbon Treaty in 2007). This includes financial policies – that’s practically unheard of in comparable countries’ laws. For the eurozone they enshrine German priorities, … More Short Shorts