2014 June « Dr Alf's Blog

The legislative triangle of the European Union (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is a good read. These are remarks by President Barroso following the European Council. Check it out!

via EUROPA – PRESS RELEASES – Press release – Remarks by President Barroso following the European Council.

It’s interesting to see that Barrosa has used the word strategy. But he’s talking about strategic priorities determined by the European Council. He is not looking at Europe’s competitive position and how to leverage its effectivess. For example, he refers to the importance of energy and energy security. Sadly, he is a long way from recognizing the importance of investing directly in Europe’s growing energy sector, especially offshore gas and oil in Cyprus.

Elsewhere, there is talk about unemployment but the existing fiscal strait-jacket is continuing. This is steady-as-she-goes stuff – Angela’s at the wheel!

I fear that Juncker will struggle to match Barroso in achievement. For me, Juncker, the designate leader of the European Commission is looking like a lame duck already. See separate blog.

Any thoughts?

English: David Cameron Deutsch: David Cameron (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Dr Alf has identified an interesting article and having met Richard Lambert, I should be impressed by his arguments about the EU.

Sadly, the evidence is not so compelling, as none of the benefits promised by Ted Heath in 1974 when we joined the then EC have come true.

We were promised millions of new jobs, no more European wars and an ability to make the traffic lights stop in Beijing and Washington.

This has not happened and the person in the “box seat” is Angela Merkel. Germany controls Europe and the appointment of key figures in Europe. It has a better educated workforce than we have in the UK, a more equal society and a manufacturing sector.
It is efficiently run, whereas we are not, and unlike us, they are taken seriously by China, the coming superpower.

The UK has an unbalanced economy and should be focusing on South America and the MINT countries for exports but is not doing so.

The UK could also be an attractive tax haven, with fewer people in it modeled on Switzerland and Singapore, and with higher living standards for everyone.

We should engage with Europe as the Norwegians do as part of EFTA, stop the Barnett Formula, give the Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish the hard word (either stay or go but no more free lunch) and become neutral.

Instead, thanks to David Cameron, who lacks negotiating skills or military power, we try to be all things to all people, and are are treated as a joke, even within the EU, plus being net financial contributors to the EU, an entity riddled with fraud on a massive scale.

The Chinese Prime Minister on his recent visit was more interested in meeting the Queen who has real power and controls the Commonwealth than he was in meeting Cameron.

Our biggest export market is the Irish Republic, which was originally one of the so called PIIGS and effectively a vassal state to Merkel’s Germany, so 50% of our exports which amount to very little are to a country which until recently was bankrupt.

John Gelmini