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
so much further yet to march (May 2005)
Before fire, murder, rape and massacre became norms of policy, Sarajevo was for hundreds of years the epicentre of tolerance in the Balkans, boasting the most mixed marriages in the whole of Jugoslavia...
Attached File: so much further yet to march (may 2005).doc
the thought that dare not speak its name (June 2005)
Most on the bus have always known where Europe is going. The only thing is that they have different destinations in mind. The EU has progressed so far not despite but because of this...
Attached File: the thought that dare not speak its name (june 2005).doc
moving on (July 2005)
History and a global view show clearly that blocs are the only way forward in the world today: China will not stop because Europe pauses...
Attached File: moving on (july 2005).doc
new europe is on holiday (August 2005)
As ever, a bird in the hand is worth two in the (George W) bush. Real short-term worries trump possible long-term gains. But that's Europe all over as we, along with everybody else, make the agonisingly slow journey into the post-nation state world.
Attached File: new europe is on holiday (august 2005).doc
court in the act (September 2005)
Once upon a time, the ECJ was a works tribunal for Brussels staff. One day, to little fanfare, it quoted one of its own previous decisions, and so began the extraordinary story of how ECJ jurisprudence transformed a common or garden treaty system into the unique constitutional order that is today's EU...
Attached File: court in the act (october 2005).doc
warsaw's powerlust (November 2005)
The generation of laws Poland adopted to join the EU are now biting, and open markets and globalisation are having real effects - all easily termed "Europe". As ever, losers are bitter, fearful, and better organised to make the most noise...
Attached File: warsaw's powerlust (november 2005).doc
alea iacta est (December 2005)
A favourite joke that endlessly circles Brussels is that those who speak three languages are trilingual, those who speak two are bilingual and those who speak just one are English...
Attached File: alea iacta est (december 2005).doc
getting on with it ! (January 2006)
The Margaret Thatcher speech forever remembered by Central Europeans ("We shall always look on Warsaw, Prague and Budapest as great European cities") is better known elsewhere for making euroscepticism respectable...
Attached File: getting on with it ! (january 2006).doc
the paralysis of contentment (March 2006)
Not enough people see globalisation as opportunity not threat, and polls show that most Europeans associate the EU with globalisation: one reason for its growing unpopularity. Yet, to be against globalisation is like Canute commanding the waves to turn back: it's here, it's now and it rules, OK ?
Attached File: the paralysis of contentment (march 2006).doc
different strokes (March 2006)
A core group - the euro area - needs to go quickly forward in areas such as taxation, research and development, and a single area of justice, security - and of course foreign policy...
Attached File: different strokes (march 2006).doc