October 29, 2009
EU leaders are already running into problems with the ambiguity of the Lisbon Treaty, as they battle it out over whether or not the post should be, as David Cameron put it, “all-singing, all dancing” (Tony Blair), or more low-key and more akin to the k…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
October 27, 2009
Our new Europe Minister Chris Bryant (the 12th Europe Minister in 12 years of Labour government, no less), has gone immediately on the attack, beginning his new job with an interview with the Sunday Telegraph in which he accused the Conservatives of ly…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
October 26, 2009
We’ve published a new briefing today, called “How the EU is watching you: the rise of Europe’s surveillance state”, looking at the growing impact the EU is having on civil liberties. Click here to read the press release.There are lots of juicy proposal…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
Today EUObserver reports on an ambassadors’ document from the Swedish EU Presidency on plans underway to create the so-called EU External Action Service. We’ve managed to get hold of a copy of the report, which is likely to form the basis of discussion…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
October 23, 2009
Just days ahead of the EU summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday next week, David Miliband will on Monday deliver a speech at the IISS in London, entitled “EU Foreign Policy After Lisbon”. Will he make a subtle candidacy bid for the EU Foreign Minis…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
A paper floated by the Commission proposes to give the EU budget a more sensible focus – away from the current Byzantine arrangement in which subsidies are dished out to farmers and non-farmers alike and a range of ludicrous projects in richer member s…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
Interesting to note that, according to German daily Sueddeutsche today, France is apparently unhappy with the fact that the new EU Foreign Minister will also be a Vice-President of the European Commission, fearing ‘indirect’ Commission control over Eur…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
October 22, 2009
A new book, to be published in Sweden today, paints a rather bleak picture of Margot Wallstrom’s stint as EU Communications Commissioner. The book, written by Swedish journalist Emily von Sydow, blatantly labels Wallstrom’s time in office a failure. Th…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
October 19, 2009
This is a theme we’ve looked at in the past, but just to remind readers of the absurdity of the situation we shall return to it. The European Commission has just launched “a new and innovative animated web series called Helpisodes” as part of its €72…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
This clip is so painful (and funded by taxpayers): European Commissioner Viviane Reding rapping away in an attempt to encourage people to make more use of various IT inventions. The target group is not entirely clear, but it’s not hard to guess.Hat tip…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
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