Serbia deal exposes EU to accusations of inconsistency

Riding on the euro in the economic fast-lane

Members of the world's second reserve currency would gain enormously from shedding the euro's fragmented decision-making process.

Not everyone buys into engagement with Russia

Germany's political and financial investments in Russia are making some of the EU's newer member states uneasy.

Let's build unions east and north, too

One of the shortcomings of the Lisbon treaty is its built-in escape-hatch for those member states which do not wish for any more integration but nonetheless wish to remain in the club. This is known in many languages as “having your cake and eating it”.

Russian propaganda, good and bad

The lack of ideological challenge in Russia leads to complacency and smugness in the West.

Watching the sun set down south

Some still call this place Nizza, which could loosely be translated as “an Italian city that works”. They don't have many of them left in Berlusconiland proper.