How do you stop a new EU treaty?

[TheStinger]

I completely agree with the one voice trading policy, although the EU is as guilty as the US in closing its markets to others especialy developing nations.

If there was one diplomatic voice nothing would happen ever because the line taken would have to be so neutral so as not to offend differing EU nations.

For example you just have to look at the mess with Zimbabwe or with the current attempts to try and deal with the Malaysian PM's attack on Jews

[Drogue]

I think some more co-ordination on diplomacy would be good, since it then has more clout, but seeing some of the differences in Foreign Policy recently (from Zimbabwe to Iraq) anything more than that could prove a disaster. Either nations get offended, (and maybe leave) or policy is watered down a lot.

I agree getting rid of the CAP would be a good reason for further integration, but with the ECBs policies so out of tune with the needs of nations (we have low inflation but need growth) joining the Euro would not be a good idea for the UK at the moment. The ECB is nowhere near flexible enough yet.

As for research, with so many different languages in Europe, which would not disadvantage the multi-lingual continent, but would be a major problem for the UK. With a common language it would be a great idea, but ATM, I can see the UK sharing research with the US much more, because there isn't the language barrier there.

[DanS]

Now, what we don't have is a serious common research policy. We are struggling between each other to get the best brains of our European neighbours and of our former colonies. Such internal struggle doesn't allow us to have a cohesive research, and we are lagging behind the US, and even Japan.

Why would you want a common research policy? American businesses have been steadily increasing their R&D, which requires a response (or not) from European businesses. By and large, the private sector controls R&D in the US and even moreso in Japan. Government direction of these efforts only potentially misallocates funds with no corrective mechanism.

[Combat Ingrid]

Originally posted by Drogue
As for research, with so many different languages in Europe, which would not disadvantage the multi-lingual continent, but would be a major problem for the UK. With a common language it would be a great idea, but ATM, I can see the UK sharing research with the US much more, because there isn't the language barrier there.

Maybe your scientists should learn to speak English then so they can communicate with the rest of us

[Drogue]

Your scientific research is all done in English? I presumed that, when other nations were not involved, it would be done in your native language?

DanS: Some government funded research is needed, on sensitive issues, to prevent bias. Companies that pay for studies are usually looking to prove a particular point, and the evidence will reflect that. For example, government studies are needed on issues like GM/Organic crops, as the only decent studies we have are either funded by corporations trying to sell them or lobby groups trying to stop corporations selling them. An independant study would be nice.

[DanS]

The lingua franca of research is English, IIRC.

Some government funded research is needed, on sensitive issues, to prevent bias. Companies that pay for studies are usually looking to prove a particular point, and the evidence will reflect that. For example, government studies are needed on issues like GM/Organic crops, as the only decent studies we have are either funded by corporations trying to sell them or lobby groups trying to stop corporations selling them. An independant study would be nice.

The vast majority of R&D is done to improve products or create new products. It's not advocacy. Where science is done to prove something (safety of a product, for instance), the science is regulated anyway. Because of this, you're treating a peripheral issue as though it is a central issue.

[Combat Ingrid]

Originally posted by Drogue
Your scientific research is all done in English? I presumed that, when other nations were not involved, it would be done in your native language?

99,9% of the interesting science is published in English. More or less all conferences are in English exclusively, etc etc. It's funny, scientists from other countries may live in Sweden for up to ten years without learning much Swedish because at work it's all in English and as a scientist life is all work

EDIT: Maybe I should add that even the French scientists speak English

[Drogue]

Originally posted by DanS
The lingua franca of research is English, IIRC.

That's what I thought for publication, but I didn't realise it would be almost impossible to be a scientist in, say France or Germany, if you spoke no English. I stand corrected.

Originally posted by DanS
The vast majority of R&D is done to improve products or create new products. It's not advocacy. Where science is done to prove something (safety of a product, for instance), the science is regulated anyway. Because of this, you're treating a peripheral issue as though it is a central issue.

That is true, although with many important issues nowadays, it is a little more than just a peripheral issue IMHO. Much research is needed on things that need to be public funded. Also, this goes to the state of the university system. We have public universities, so any research done there, even paid for by a company, is something to do with the government. We need a far better university system, since they are falling in world research rankings. Even universities like Oxford are falling rapidly in terms of number of publications. I am not sure if European integration could help this, but something needs to be done.

[DanS]

I am not sure if European integration could help this

I don't see why it would.

[laurentius]

...I still think we should revive latin for our official language, actually I have even started learning it again so I'm ready when this happens

[Paris]

Originally posted by lord of the mark
why? maybe they like being an independent state. National sovereignty hasnt been quite the disaster for Britain that it has been for most of the continental states.

Bad example: it is like you said that "California must be serparate from US and being indepedent state"! If Britain being indepedent, then they will have to face a giant market on its door without can do anything. Another example: is it possible for Canada to ignore US market? Everybody talks about 'financial difficulties', 'ancient financial structure of EU', 'high unemployment', 'unormalize tax systems' etc... For how long can these things remain the same? And why the countries which are trying to be one state can always having 'open EU' or 'open doors' for everyone other member which doesn't accept these movements? The disaster will come if Britain will keep behaviour as a 'US state' and not as 'EU state'! Maybe Euope will lost a member (nothing tragedy was happened when EU lost Norway) but for sure Britain will lost everything!

[Heresson]

Some problems with EU treaty
-it diminishes the role of smaller states, and especially of two middle ones, Poland and Spain exactly. In fact, Chirac or someone said once it's a punishment for Spain (and Poland) for supporting USA in Iraq conflict. Spain and Poland are against the treaty, and Poland may veto it.

Another problem is... Liechtenstein. The family of its ruler had large land posessities in Czech Republic before the war, but they were confiscated after the war, as Liechtenstein was considered by Prague an alliant of Germany (which isn't true, afaik); Liechtenstein demands returning it, otherwise it won't allow dragging common economic zone over 10 new EU members, and funds for the new members will be lost.
Since the war up to today, there are no diplomatical relations between Liechtenstein and Czechia and Slovakia.

[Spiffor]

Heresson:
I don't understand. What exactly can Lichtenstein do to the new members ? What right has this non-member in the EU ?

[Gangerolf]

it's about the EEA-treaty

[Heresson]

Originally posted by Spiffor
Heresson:
I don't understand. What exactly can Lichtenstein do to the new members ? What right has this non-member in the EU ?

I don't know what is that right, but it has it. I have a thought, but I'm not sure if it's right, so I'll not state it.