URL: Latest posts
We are living extraordinary times but...
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It is time to move on for Eurocrat!The Treaty of Lisbon has entered into force and the European Institutions, and in particular the Commission, are experiencing changes of a great magnitude.For the first time in many years, the role of each instituti...
How to become a Fonctionnaire without ever passing a Concours?
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Things are now settling down at the top level, with a president everybody expected and a High Representative out of the blue. The English played it very well... on that one. The gender balance did also play a critical role. But now it is time to thin...
The Business of Outsourcing
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As the years go by, the public service is getting more and more privatized. You might have witnessed in your respective countries that we should trust the private sector to deliver a better value-for-money service. Reagan and Maggy Thatcher started i...
Habeus Papam!
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Yes we have a winner for the post of president of the UE. Most of us are still guessing, but it is clear that we have a winner... actually winners (for the high representative as well).The Swedes have convened a Council Meeting next week, and officia...
In the News: Treaty of Lisbon
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Well, well, well... Finally, Vaclav Klaus signed the Treaty of Lisbon today! It was a long and tortuous ratification process, with many hurdles, delays and surprises and hopefully the Treaty will enter into force this December.I thought it would be h...
In the News: Fruits and Vegetables
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Well that was some time ago, but I found an interesting perspective on that...So remember that everybody was relieved when the EC allowed ugly fruit and vegetables back in shops (see the BBC news here)?Guess what? you can't blame the Eurocrats for th...
In the News: Thanks Ireland!
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A major hurdle was passed this weekend, with Ireland voting yes to the Lisbon Treaty. I think I got the trick now... for every referendum we should plan two votes from the Irish folks.Anyhow, that was a good effort, nice participation and an unambigu...
In the News: Will the Irish get back to their sense?
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This week, our Irish neighbors are voting for a second time on the Lisbon Treaty. Their choice goes well beyond the borders of Ireland, as it will decide the future of our Union.So far, polls are looking positive. Thanks to a terrible financial crisi...
I am sorry Belgium!
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Sorry for the earlier outburst... truly sorry. I love Belgium, Belgians, Brussels! I love the chocolate, the fries, the beers... Promised, I won't go in exile in Antwerp!Funny thing is that I found that that Mark Mardell, BBC's correspondent in Bruss...
Life in Brussels
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When working for the European Commission, the odds are that you will spend a large amount of time in Brussels. Your only way out is to move to Luxembourg (which I believe can be assimilated as a harsh and inhuman treatment), join one of the Agencies...
In the News: Barroso reelected... a sad week at the EC
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A sad week indeed at the Commission. Barroso got reelected and another weak commission in perspective.Personally, I felt quite bitter about the vote... What can we really expect from a President of the Commission who got the support from the Euroscep...
In the News: Anybody but Barroso?
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Summer is over, and the negotiations for the new Commission did not even get hot. The post of the President never really got beyond "To be Barroso or not to be Barroso". Some Member States did try to make some noise (see in the Economist, how France...
Back online!
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Your favorite Eurocrat is back to blogging... and don't get me wrong, I was not on leave all that time!Stay tune for insights, opinions and much more.If you have some suggestions for topics, please write them in the comment section.
Out of Office: Eurocrat on Annual Leave
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Dear Readers,It is time for me to go on Annual Leave. Still have a lot of days to spend away from the office... I am a civil servant after all!!!The offices are pretty empty nowadays, so no crazy bureaucratic legislation to disturb the summer.I will...
Public Consultation: Going abroad to learn
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There is an interesting public consultation on Learning Abroad, in the framework of a Green Paper on "Promoting the learning mobility of young people"I believe that the Erasmus program and other similar exchange schemes are one of the greatest succes...
In the News: Iceland Wants to join the EU
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The Parliament of Iceland has voted last week in favor of opening accession negotiation with the EU. The adhesion will then be voted in a popular referendum. Prognostics indicated that the country could join in 2011 or 2012, given that it already bel...
Swedish Presidency's First Weeks
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More than 2 weeks that the Swedes are in charge and we can already feel the change. The Swedish PM is like a permanent guest on EuroNews nowadays!Maybe they have the solution for the European Construction? In the Frankfurter Rundschau...
Accountability at the European Commission: Internal Accountability
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In previous posts, I have discussed how we, Eurocrats, are accountable to the European citizen, via elected officials (ie Member States and MEPs). To conclude my series on Accountability in the European Commission, I will tell more about the internal...
In the News: Sweden takes over the EU presidency
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All hail Sweden! Since a week, Sweden is holding the rotating presidency of the Union. The program is published on their website: http://www.se2009.eu/enInteresting priorities are presented:Climate (weird, as a Swede I would really not mind a couple...
In the News: End of the Czech Presidency
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Here we are, at the end of the Czech Presidency of the Union and it is time to give an assessment.It started very well with a first controversy from David Cerny, giving a vibrant homage to Czech humor. But other Members States were not ready for that...
