EU Cyber Security Strategy, Not Quite A Double-Click

The EU Cyber Security Strategy, launched in Brussels today, has not delighted everyones' inbox. Viewed as lacking ambition, and as being merely an assessment rather than a forward looking strategy, the new Cyber Strategy won't be unfriended, but it isn't going to make it onto MEP's 'favourites' lists.

The Strategy has been criticised as an assessment of a variety of crimes involving the internet which fails to address questions of a strategic nature. It has also been slated for lacking a clear vision in the global context of defence and digital freedoms.

"Vagueness leaves room for undesired consequences" says Marietje Schaake, Dutch Member of European Parliament (ALDE/D66), and rapporteur for the recently adopted first Digital Freedom Strategy in EU foreign policy. "I welcome the Commission's initiative as a first step in starting a debate, but we can not lose time in addressing the most difficult questions ...READ MORE

by Brian Maguire, Brussels, 07 February, 2013 12:35 PM GMT+0100

Power Play - The Battle Within The European Commission

A New Deal - Latin America Trade Agreements - Round Table Discussion At European Parliament

The Honey Trap - EU-Latin America Trade Agreements

European Democracy - Professor Joseph Weiler speaks at the European Parliament

Et Voila. Summit Done. Dave's Out To Lunch..

That's it, it's over, done, dusted, almost, almost. There wasn't much dust to settle, there wasn't much of a mariachi band kicking about this time, it was almost beer and sandwiches, with a spot of brie for Dave Camembert, the big cheese from across the canal. Europe isn't as big a place as it used to be. 

As Dave said, bouncing off the podium, like Tigger, though Tigger would deny it: "There's another one [summit] in November and then December, we wont have time to miss each other..." And there's the truth of it before lunch, Dave is part of the team. He's playing goal keeper at the moment, the bit-part nobody else wants unless they're feeling a bit queasy or they forgot their trainers.

The detail if you want it, you can read a little later, but so as not to cause undue indigestion at this time of the day, here's the Euro-Summit Canape.

There will be a banking union, the details will be sorted by the end of the year and it'll roll out like a flat tortilla during 2013. Dave really, really supports the idea, he supports the Euro, the Eurozone, the banking union and will not stand in it's way. A few details to be sorted but nothing to worry about. Angela was in the room down the hall, they were all laughing as I passed by... Passos Coelho gave a good impression of a man in control - Best Actor.

And into the lifts we all trundled. To lunch. Keep the seats warm, it's the budget stuff next.

George Soros - The current course is pushing euroland into a "lasting depression, and it is entirely self-created".

Ambrose Evans-Pritchard writes: www.telegraph.co.uk 

The residual euro would fall to a level that better reflected economic fundamentals in Southern Europe. Competitiveness would largely be restored at a stroke, without the need for debt-deflation. There would be no further risk of large sovereign defaults.

Mr Soros said — as he has many times before — that the current course is pushing euroland into a "lasting depression, and it is entirely self-created".

Indeed. "Entirely self-created". Repeat that a hundred times. There is nothing seriously wrong with Europe's underlying economy. It has magnificent companies, great creative skills, a global current account surplus and relatively low debt. (That is not a misprint. Europe does not have a debt crisis. It has a political crisis. It is so badly structured and so badly run that moderate debt has been allowed to mushroom into a crisis).