Jim Murphy

I've looked at "Global Europe" and the first thing I have to say is that it's not really a "pamphlet" is it? It's got 32 pages and four of them haven't got any words on. Can this document be customised appropriately? "A well informed public is a better educated one" as Lord Malloch -Brown has said yesterday, but some of us haven't got time to trawl through many of these enormous documents, interesting though they are...

Posted by Mrs.Josephine Hyde-Hartley on October 25, 2007 at 01:27 AM BST #

During the EU's 'Convention on the Future of Europe', one discussion forum lengthy domain dealt with those EU widening penalties keeping all cross-interpretations of in European Parliament spoken contributions and of all relevantly important translations of documentation. Choice of translation-facilities seem needed to reduce what seem destined for snowballing costs: already in the EU's Council and Commission main co-languages are reduced to English, French, and German - as most ministers and fewer in distant time commissioners do manage these three. When the EU Council meets the Heads of Government do bring own interpreters in any case to assure correct understanding. And here order of confirmatory minutes can back-up in writing. In the translation of less well-known languages, each of EU member states could carry their own interpreters back into their own colloquial tongues. Translations in both ways should similarly be done by own-language staff but again coupled to assure accuracy of documents - where the purpose would be to reduce document paper mountains and unsearchable filing systems or stored software files. The only arguments of such a Brussels or Strasbourg triple-only language system would have some other linguas of large population utility. And it's difficult not to stop as for EU Commission members as in 2014? Money saved now could be suitably available for language teaching. Some arguments were evident for Esperanto. However an advantage when all in situ speak and take-in English for flexibility, French for its diplomatic accuracy, and German for its technologies back-up. You might add Italian for cultural in its widest and deepest historical sense cross-harmonisation!

Posted by Stefan Peter on October 29, 2007 at 05:37 PM GMT #

I fundamentally disagree with the confused British policy on the EU, be it Labour or Conservative. What the government say that 'matters to people' is not what matters to me. What matters to me is that this country is outside the Euro and Schengen and therefore it is outside the REAL EU, as it is the only EU member, out of 27, that has opted out from both these key EU pillars, which, ultimately are what the EU is essentially about. Both opt-outs affect me directly as my partner is a non-EU citizen an whenever we have to travel to another EU country she needs a Schengen visa by virtue of the British opt-out from the same treaty. This is very costly in time and money. At a more general level, Britain's opt-outs from the key EU policies of Schengen and the Euro make it have little or no influence on the issues affecting the REAL EU, i.e. the Eurozone economic policy and the freedom, security and harmonization of a borderless travel area spanning 28 countries as most of the recent EU entrants plus Switzerland will become part of the Schengen area end of 2007 and during 2008 . Globalisation and economic competitiveness are important issues but they are not directly the role of the EU to resolve or to tackle, but rather that of EU countries, either individually or as a group. Conversely, Schengen is a key, indissoluble element of the EU and this is what the EU ultimately means and it is for: TO BE A SPACE OF FREEDOM, SECURITY AND JUSTICE, and hence the elimination of internal policed borders between EU countries that the Schengen treaty brought about. I understand how difficult / impossible is to win over the Eurosceptic, xenophobic tabloid press, but then this country needs to make a choice whether it wants to be in the REAL EU or not. And where it is now is definitely not the real EU, perhaps EU-Lite, at the most.

Posted by Jorge Goded on November 02, 2007 at 09:49 PM GMT #

Dear Mr Jim Murphy,brI would like to ask you about your views and political intentions regarding the Cyprus settlement; an issue which is directly linked with Turkey's membership efforts. Greece and Cyprus, openly and daringly opposing this membership and intent on blocking it, this issues surely requires a settlement first of all. I wondered whether you have read the article entilted 'How the International Community made Cyprus Settlement impossible' by Michael Stephen, an ex-MP, international Lawyer and working at Chatham House. This article can be obtained from the Turkish Cypriot Network website. I would like to know the UK's position on this and look forward to your response. brBetula Nelson

Posted by Betula Nelson on November 21, 2007 at 01:03 PM GMT #

Mr Goded,brBritains policy on the EU can not be as open and complete as it should, mainly due to the lack of common agreements or better, lack of common approaches to important issues such as immigration, law and security.brI have lived in different European countries and my experience tells me that some countries are not doing their job as they should. They are actually inmerse in illegal practices and corruption which may in the end jeopardize the integrity of other member states.brbrLet´s mention for example Spain, with over 11 unemployment Eurostat, but still doing massive regularization programs simply to get cheap labour at the cost of her own people not being able to find proper employment and families struggling to get to the end of the month. High percentage of young people living with their parents well into their 30ies and those with a familly having to do two jobs: one to pay the rent or morgage and one to live on. brProfesional people earning less than a barman and Spain´s minimum wage is 599 euros. brInflation is one of the highest of the euro zone and in big cities like Madrid or Barcelona is hard to find a decent two bedroom flat for less than 1000€ and having to pay a garantee of 4000 € plus one month deposit, plus the month´s rent. Actually 6000 € in advance just to be able to start to rent a flat. Unbelievable!!!brbrThe worst thing is Spain allows in people to whom she does and can not cater for in terms of jobs, opportunities, infrastructure and social security. brMany people come to the country as students or illegally and find it easy to change their status to get work permits and eventually obtain Spanish citizenship. In Spain you can get married being an illegal immigrant, something i don´t think you could ever do in Britain. brbrLater as most of these people encounter unemployment, lack of opportunities, discrimination and the lot, most decide to move north to other european countries, especially Britain. So, Britain is facing a huge, growing problem from the so called european brother Spain, whose leaders only care about filling up their pockets and don´t forsee the consequences of their irresponsible acts for the stability, future and security of the european union.brbrTo conclude: I think Britain should do more to protect herself and her people from the mess some other european countries are doing. You can not have one true united europe if all of its member states don´t have the same mentality. One maybe tackling and solving important issues responsibly when the other is thinking of "fiesta". brbrThank you.

Posted by Miguel Pinar on December 11, 2007 at 06:51 PM GMT #