Europe
Apart from a few years in the middle-east, I've lived my whole life in europe; the great majority in britain. I am a european, both from conviction and pragmatism. Europe, of which the uk remains a part, is helping forge a new way forward for the world. It is a lighthouse of how old enemies can become not just new allies, but so closely bound and integrated that their future prosperity depends on them hanging ever closer together. At its best, europe brings real benefits from bigger and freer flowing markets, economies of scale, the circulation of best practice and safety in numbers. I have written a lot about europe, mainly in my guise of new europe, and you can read it all here. Watch the clip, by oscar-winning producer alice doyard
greece, after so much
Being there at the start of the euro was a proud moment. Watching greece disintegrate, failing to realise how at its margins it really is, is a bitter one. The farce and tragedy that make up all good dramas have been strong these months, but if there was a script, no-one followed it, stumbing forward into an ever widening gulf. A compilation of the various blogs I've written chronicling the growth of that chasm into which greece fell.
Attached File: the elasticity of brinkmanship.pdf
of the irish (march 2013)
Following my recent inquiring trip to dublin (see 12 january 2013), I returned to help deliver some of the verdict (and you can see me here, at 1:59:00). The irish have yet to go through the fire of their local government reorganisation, and it remains within the balance whether they will or not, with the evidence suggesting they should, but politics perhaps mitigating against.
Attached File: oecd.pdf
ditching the krona - is sterling next ? (october 2008)
Iceland now has no choice but to join the euro, whatever the cost. Britain will one day do the same; the only question is when and under what circumstances...
Attached File: Ditching the Krona (October 2008).doc
what a way to run the world (july 2008)
Just when the world needs it most, the IMF risks losing its legitimacy because the Europeans (the British) and even the euro area (the Belgians) doggedly refuse to coalesce into the single seat that their economic intimacy demands, and the logic of what the IMF actually does suggests...
Attached File: What a way to run the world (july 2008).doc
how will the treaty of lisbon affect emu (june 2008)
[with Wouter Coussens and Inigo Arruga Oleaga] Lisbon introduces several changes to EMU, both specifically and as an indirect consequence of other changes. This paper comprehensively sets out how Lisbon modifies the current Treaties, and analyses in clear language how that will affect EMU. Essentially, the monetary pillar is left untouched, whilst the economic pillar is potentially provided with a greater degree of decision-making autonomy for the euro area.
Attached File: Lisbon.pdf
letters to the editor about “new europe”
Well done that scribe! Congratualtions to The Budapest Sun for bringing a top-class analytical discussion to the public...
Attached File: Letters to the editor on new europe.doc
all good things come to an end (March 2008)
Rough notions about the Union's "new members" are overly reliant on political cartoon characters such as the Kaczynski twins. Many of the "olds" have not moved on from the attitude that "we" are doing "them" a favour by welcoming them into the club, lavishing them with subsidies, and providing millions of jobs, forcing unskilled native workers out of the job market...
Attached File: all good things come to an end (march 2008).doc
...and now for something completely different (February 2008)
Expect to hear a lot about the creation of an internal market for energy, the EU reducing mobile phone charges, the EU bringing down the world's greenhouse gas emissions, and Postman Pat going on strike as the EU tries to bring European postal services into the twentieth century...
the treaty of lisbon (December 2007)
[with Wouter Coussens, Inigo Arruga Oleaga and editors] On 19 October 2007, the EU Heads of State or Government reached agreement a new EU Treaty, which was then signed by them on 13 December 2007 in Lisbon...
Attached File: the treaty of lisbon (December 2007).doc
a europe without borders (November 2007)
Just two generations ago, France and Germany had the most heavily fortified border in the world. Today, the only way you know you have travelled from one to the other is by passing a smallish blue sign with yellow stars...
Attached File: A Europe without borders (november 2007).doc