Comments on: New year, new approach?

By: Europe: Reforms and Realism? - Voting TaKtiX

Europe: Reforms and Realism? - Voting TaKtiX — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 10:26:12 +0000

[…] January MatGB07:33 pmAdd comment Nosemonkey has an excellent post on the chances of genuine reform under the Austrian Presidency, now starting, up at The Sharpener. Have read his post, but haven’t had time to read the articles he cites, I got distracted by a different story over the weekend. Anyway, go read, it’s absolutely essential that the EU is reformed by realists and not federalist idealists, which seems to be where Austria is taking things… Technorati tagsearch: Europe, reform, Austrian Presidency, Schuessel […]

By: JonnElledge

JonnElledge — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 11:48:55 +0000

Well said. The problem seems to be, though, that it’s very difficult for there to be a public debate on an issue because there is no European public sphere to speak of. With very few exceptions, such as the FT, most of the media is regional – the only conversation actually happening about the future of the EU at Europe-wide level is within the EU itself. And it was European governments talking amongst themselves and then blaming their allies and rivals for anything about which the public disapproved that got us into this mess in the first place.

I really can’t see how that can be changed without the development of a Europe-wide media, though I’d love to be convinced.

That said, there was a moment last summer when it looked like the division between economic liberals and supporters of the European social model was about to turn into the first European public debate. It’s the closest we’ve come.

By: Ken

Ken — Mon, 09 Jan 2006 23:59:43 +0000

“We need less regulation from Brussels and more powers to the Europe of the regions.Ã¢â‚¬Â Many Eurosceptics would agree with him.”

Europe of the regions, I think is not something a Eusceptic would agree with, what seems to be missing is a Europe of Sovereign Nation states, that of course in not on the agenda.

By: Nosemonkey

Nosemonkey — Mon, 09 Jan 2006 15:41:43 +0000

Hmmm... Just noticed - I implied it's Germany in the latter half of the year - actually it's Finland, with Germany taking over at the start of 2007. Austria, however, has explicitly stated that there should be no expectation of a resolution to the hoped-for debate until the German presidency, and it looks like Finland is OK with this.

By: Mr Eugenides

Mr Eugenides — Mon, 09 Jan 2006 15:06:00 +0000

Well said. That the EU would be in a much healthier state if it listened to the concerns of its people is a truth so obvious that the only place it goes unrecognised is in Brussels itself.

However, if you really think (even given the sceptical leanings of the Austrian people or Frau Merkel) that this year is going to see any real change in the knee-jerk, forward-at-all-costs mentality that monopolises the EU’s agenda, then I fear you may be disappointed…