Blair's pathetic EU Presidency performance

A column by Philip Bowring from Hong Kong titled 'Europe's self-sabotage on trade' in today's International Herald Tribune does a pretty good job in summing up a few of the EU's problems. It may be read in full by clicking here, but these are a few brief quotes: "....takes us straight back to that French-German stitch-up in 2003. The EU is now effectively telling the world that the talks since June 2003 have been a charade, as everything to do with farm tariffs was decided in Brussels in 2003. The arrogance is stunning." ".......But the rest of the world has noted that self-defensive, defeatist attitudes are on the rise in Europe, as witnessed by such diverse issues as the entry of Turkey, the rejection of the EU constitution and the results of recent Polish and German elections.

The immediate danger is to a wider world that needs the Hong Kong meeting to take place and Doha to bring agriculture and the new trade players into the heart of the WTO system. In the longer run, however, the EU's inability to negotiate effectively with the world will simply be a signal of the declining relevance of an aging continent whose arrogance is a transparent mask for fear." Tony Blair is supposedly presently heading the EU although he has accomplished nothing during the first four months of his leadership. With two months remaining and his own henchman as Trade Commissioner and his oft stated concern for the people of the third world - surely he is in a position to at least try to achieve something? Too busy concerning himself with yet another second resignation of a close but disgraced ministerial ally perhaps, will an EU Commission spot now be the next career stop for David Blunkett?