Jon Worth's Euroblog

31.05.2006 EU Politics

The Finns’ sober logo: suits the EU’s mood?

The Finns take over the EU’s rotating Presidency in one month, and now they have the logo and website of the Presidency up and running. While the logo will not draw the ridicule that the UK’s flying swans attracted, I

30.05.2006 EU Politics

Lamassoure: get a grip

OK, here’s an idea. EU needs money. EU can raise money using a tax. Why not tax something that so far has not been taxed? eCommunications! This is the solution to the EU’s budgetary future as proposed by Alain Lamassoure,

29.05.2006 German Politics

Too young for Berlin

I’ve always had regrets about the months between October 2001 and March 2002 I spent in Berlin. First and foremost is that I did not manage to stay there longer. Second, that I really did not make close to the

22.05.2006 EU Politics

So I won’t be a Commission official

The results of the concours for administrators are now out, and – surprise, surprise – I did not manage to pass. Here’s the extract of the letter: The selection board for the above competition has now finished marking the pre-selection

22.05.2006 EU Politics

Concours discussion – overflow

The sheer number of comments at the main post ‘So I Won’t Be A Commission Official‘ has been causing problems, so all the old comments are here instead, and hence searchable.

20.05.2006 Technology

You wanna… blog DJ!

OK, I’ve done some damned cool things with technology in the past, but this evening must more or less beat it. I am currently sat at a table in a hall in Ocquier, a village in rural Wallonia, somewhere south

17.05.2006 Technology

Reponsibility anonymous

It’s 2225 on Wednesday 17 May. I am sat, as I am so many evenings, at my computer in my room at 32A Aristotle Road. The blind is open, and the drops from the evening’s rain are still strewn across

17.05.2006 EU Politics

Transnational party political pioneers? Maybe

OK, it’s up and running: PES Activists. The idea is that members of political parties that belong to the Party of European Socialists sign up there, give a small donation, and access a range of online services. It’s a good

17.05.2006 EU Politics

Slovenia, the Euro, and freedom of movement

I remember wondering back in those days at the start of this decade whether – after all – some of the then accession countries would join the Euro before Britain did. The European Commission’s announcement yesterday that Slovenia has the

17.05.2006 UK Politics

Sack the minister, ignore the review: Blair’s nuclear plans

OK, so we have known for months that Tony Blair has favoured nuclear power in order to keep the UK’s CO2 emissions down. Last night, giving a speech to the CBI, he gave the clearest statement yet that he backs

16.05.2006 EU Politics

It’s Eurovision time again

I suppose it’s the closest thing that we have to European ‘culture’ – the Eurovision Song Contest. OK, we have other events like the European Championship soccer, but other areas of the world get involved in that game too. Eurovision,

16.05.2006 Technology

Blog makes the big time: Aftonbladet

Once in a while something super-positive happens with this blog, and today seems to be such a day. The journalist Mats EngstrÃƒÂ¶m on the Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet has set up a Europablogg to discuss various issues of EU politics. He