NEWS

The Common Agriculture Policy of the EU has a long history. Its system of hugue subsidies and promoting industrialization - that is large agricultural firms - originated in the 1960's when we had the European Economic Community of the Six (France, Germany (Western), Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands). During the transitional period towards a common market (1958-1970), it was President Charled de Gaulle of France, who forced the other members,(through crises and walk outs), to accept the French version of a common agricultural policy, based on common financing,  high subsidies to farmers and high protection against third country farm products.

Donald Tusk, former Solidarnosc activist, former Prime Minister of Poland, completed his term as President of the European Council last month. I attach the text of his keynote speech at the Opening of the 2019/2020 academic year at the College of Europe.

In my country, the Netherlands, we are remembering the long story of liberation from Nazi-German occupation 75 years ago - it truly was a liberation. When the Soviets liberated  the countries of Central and Eastern Europe from Nazi-occupation, their so-called liberation  would be just another long era of repression. Gyorgy Konrad, my age, died recently and I attach a very moving and pertinent memory to his life.  For him and his Central European co-citizens, liberation came only in 1989 just 30 years ago. Hungary, at best, is still dreaming its way to true democracy.

The attached checklist from BBC News - Why Brexit did not happen - is useful reading. At first glance, the ten reasons why it did not happen still apply after  Boris Johnson managed to grab the Conservative Party leadership and 10 Downing Street. Unpredictable Boris Johnson might produce a surprise ; the EU might just collectively be fed up with Brexit. Whereas mendacity rules in London and Washington, the outcome is unknown.

All  of Europe and 98% of the people of the United Kingdom, AGAIN, have to wait for the verdict of a few old fashioned members of the British Conservative Party, who will be the next Prime Minister! It s again a shamefully undemocratic process holding up solution to the irresponsible and stupid decision to leave the European Union. The outcome most likely means either chaos (no-deal Brexit) or postponement. of the decision. The succession of irresponsible and incapable prime-ministers is a catastrophy for Britain and Europe.

ATTACHED is the Brexit time line up to 23 May 2019 and from 2013. More than six years of internal Conservative Party politics and quarreling while Europe has to wait. It is just a record of blindness, ignorance, arrogance by self-seeking politicians who care about their own position  but not about Europe or the future of the coming generation. The time line is a shocking document and still endless.

A former student sent me the attached Votewatch.eu Blog: How the old "pro-anti"EU framinf becomes obsolete after EU elections." It makes most interesting reading, but it also troubles me.

On European Election DAYS, "An Ever Closer Union" as written in the Treaties, appears to have been changed into the opposite. It was hoped that Brexit would have resulted in a reaffirmation of the purpose of an ever closer union. As Brexit continues to poison Europe, and the British cannot even agree on how to leave, it looks as if that purpose has been abandoned. With the exception of French President Macron, no leader any longer dares to reaffirm that purpose - hoping this way to prevent the European voters to turn to the populists. It will not work that way. I sincerely hope that these days, European voters will be less coward and more forward looking than most of their governments: Europe needs an ever closer union to survive in peace.

The Austrian political crisis should teach the European voter a few important lessons. 

European Council President Donald Tusk and Commission President  Jean-Claude Juncker are correct in their comment on todays no vote in the House of Commons. Only British political leaders are in a position to get Britain out of its self-made political chaos; the problem being that there aren't any political leaders available on our off shore European Island!

Once upon a time David Cameron called a referendum on the European Union with no other purpose than strengthening his position as Conservative leader against his challenger Boris Johnson; as a consequence the latter decided to support a Brexit. When a small majority came out in favor of Brexit, the two fled the scene, leaving Britain in - what has turned out - to be complete chaos. Theresa May, who voted for remaining in the EU, nevertheless was prepared to become Prime Minister in charge of achieving Brexit. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also voted for remaining in the EU, but as chaos deepened, he only thought of how  to gain the same position of Prime Minister. The cynicism and opportunism of both politicians is shocking and self-defeating. It can, maybe, understood only by the willfull ignorance shown by British politicians and the electorate of what the European Union is and stands for. 

"Article 50 TEU must be interpreted as meaning that, where a Member State has notified the European Council, in accordance with that article, of its intention to withdraw from the European Union, that article allows that Member State — for as long as a withdrawal agreement concluded between that Member State and the European Union has not entered into force or, if no such agreement has been concluded, for as long as the two-year period laid down in Article 50(3) TEU, possibly extended in accordance with that paragraph, has not expired — to revoke that notification unilaterally, in an unequivocal and unconditional manner, by a notice addressed to the European Council in writing, after the Member State concerned has taken the revocation decision in accordance with its constitutional requirements. The purpose of that revocation is to confirm the EU membership of the Member State concerned under terms that are unchanged as regards its status as a Member State, and that revocation brings the withdrawal procedure to an end."