tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406430766424642773.post1177578280730355976..comments2023-09-28T12:28:57.598+03:00Comments on Grahnlaw: Merkel and Cameron on EU and euroRalf Grahn http://www.blogger.com/profile/02156293782163802007noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406430766424642773.post-17044090856293704082011-11-23T22:39:02.288+02:002011-11-23T22:39:02.288+02:00Yes, I have noticed your recommendations (and I ag...Yes, I have noticed your recommendations (and I agree them). But I don't understand much your statement about the clauses that I mentioned; you write that they are connected with intergovernmental organizations. But I am embarrassed by extent of confidentiality that is heard in the clauses - is it regular (as you use the word) in environment of an intergovernmental organization? To whom then the ESM will be responsible?citizen of Europehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16351547139010003857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406430766424642773.post-80441774682340075752011-11-19T16:13:56.554+02:002011-11-19T16:13:56.554+02:00citizen of Europe,
With regard to competitivenes...citizen of Europe, <br /><br />With regard to competitiveness, the most successful EU countries are those which are fairly advanced in information and communication technologies, research and innovation, qualified industrial production, have open economies and functioning public services etc.<br /><br />Thus, my writing on the subject wants to stimulate constructive efforts in the European Union. <br /><br />The clauses you mention concerning the European Stability Mechanism ESM are of the kind regularly connected with international (intergovernmental) organisations.<br /><br />This reflects the current state of affairs, although you may have noticed that I strongly recommend popular sovereignty at EU or at least eurozone level as the organising principle = EU level democracy.Ralf Grahn https://www.blogger.com/profile/02156293782163802007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406430766424642773.post-24068470980362317762011-11-19T13:22:37.882+02:002011-11-19T13:22:37.882+02:00I am sad from latest development of Europe. Democr...I am sad from latest development of Europe. Democracy turns now in a mere empty word used almost only in a propagandistic way now ("look, we are free and democratic whereas Cuba, Iran or I-don't-know-who-else not and it is an indisputable fact" and "let us bomb them"). I cannot avoid these thoughts when everybody (as you) speak about competitiveness of Europe. In my opinion this expression is even emptier than the one with democracy. Europe is a world region that teoretically has most "trump cards": the most long tradition of industrial economy (it is its cradle), the most educated population, open society that gives (at least teoretically) everybody a chance to put his ideas and thoughts through, more or less good and fair social system that leaves nobody outside the society, democratic political system that should preserve everything this - yet all this is not sufficient to be enough "competitive" towards others which have not such "trumps". Why? How it is possible that for example China, with its total absence of democracy, with its huge corruption, with its immension human misery, with its lacking standards of labour of a worker, totally absent social security, with its immense destruction of natural environment (not to mention treating animals) is more competitive than Europe? Are qualities of Europe (despite their present decline) an obstacle for comptetitiveness? Assuming that multinational corporations make more profits from Chinese misery that European urbanity I am prone to believe that we should compete with Chinese misery by falling to its level.<br /><br />But I have been provoked by a word in your post, I want in fact not to comment it. Actually, I have a question. This your article (and some other recent ones too) deals with the common European currency. I have read an article lately that discussed the treaty establishing the European stability mechanism. The article emphasized antidemocraticness of the treaty. To say the truth, I am worried by that article so I want to know your opinion. The treaty says in its article 27 that the ESM (European Stability Mechanism) and its property (and so on) enjoys immunity from every form of judicial process, that the premises (= buildings) of the ESM shall be inviolable, in its article 29 than that all employees and other involved persons should keep professional secrecy and in the article 30 that the headpersons and other staff members shall be immune from legal proceedings and shall enjoy inviolability in respect of their official papers and documents.<br />For me, these are not enactements belonging to an open authority in the democratic society but they instead make an impression to me to be provisions of a "feudal" secret counsel of some Baroque absolutistic monarch. Is my impression justified according to you? And are at least some of the enactements not inconsistent with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union?citizen of Europehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16351547139010003857noreply@blogger.com