EUROPE MOVING FORWARD AGAIN !

It is great to see Europe moving decisively forward again.  Politically president Macron has given new dynamics with concrete proposals for a stronger Euro-zone with its own budget and institutions  - supported by Merkel and several other Euro-countries.  His new initiatives for the French labour market are part of the same.  The European economy is also coming in better shape. And a number of important European political initiatives such as attacks on the non-European behaviour of Poland and Hungary and of Turkey shows a determined Europe on the move.  In this context the Brexit process is just a sideshow. 

AFTER ALL: DO NOT FORGET THE POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE US AND THE UK

President Trump and his folks can easily spoil a nice day for any of us.  But do not despair ! There is a different America. A very different one. And it is most certainly on its way forward. You can say the same about the UK.  The Brexiteers with all their fantasies might have some headlines for the moment. But there is a different Britain. The 48 %, who last year voted for Remain.  And they are certainly also gaining strength all the time.    And in the middle of all that Europe is more supported and more active than for a long time.  Not least because of Trump and because of Brexit !

PRESIDENT MACRON's NEXT STEPS

I have just listened to president Macron's very impressive speech to the houses of Parliament this afternoon. Lots of important things on the move. And in my view on the move in the good direction. New thinking. New drive. We need Macrons in many of our countries !

NEED FOR MACRONS IN MOST EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

What a pleasure it is to follow president Macron and the way he is able to mobilise people, not least young people.  We now see the same trend in other countries such as in the recent elections in the United Kingdom and in The Netherlands.  Old habits, old policies and old structures are fundamentally changed.  And changed to look forward - not backwards.

I wonder, if it wouldn't be a very good idea to mobilise a MACRON in most of our countries?!

We should in my view certainly support the already on-going spill-over effect in that direction from France.

GERMAN CARS AND THE US - WHAT TRUMP TOTALLY IGNORES - OR PROBABLY DOES NOT KNOW :-(

“The Germans are bad, very bad. Look at the millions of cars that they sell in the U.S.
Terrible. We’re going to stop that.” – President Donald Trump

This is Trump at his worst.  A statement repeated several times during the last week. But totally ignoring the following hard core facts:

Through the first four months of 2017, Germany-based automakers and their respective subsidiary brands have sold 413.000 new vehicles in the United States.

Of these 413.000 altogether 114.000 ( 28 % ) were produced in the US on plants in Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina.

In addition the US based German owned car factories during the same four months produced 167.000 cars for export from the US.

As a matter of fact the value of these US produced German cars is higher than the export value of American cars.

Imagine how many Americans are employed in producing these 281.000 German cars.

Will president Trump ever get his facts right?!

And by the way, why do so many Americans want to buy German cars?  Probably because they are so good!  Again, reason for some reflection in the American car industry.

Source: The US website:  thetruthaboutcars.com  

DEFENSE COSTS ARE MANY THINGS

President Trump is also showing his one-track-minded perception of many things in his campaign around defense spending.  His amazing speech at the NATO summit was no exception.  He seems to think that the more money you spend on defense hardware, the better it is.  More missiles, more jet fighters, more frigates, more tanks - the more peaceful the world will be.    And those NATO countries, which pay less than 2 % of the GNP for defense, are to be blamed.

This is one point of view.  I believe that we Europeans have - as in many other cases - a more sophisticated and realistic view on how things are.

First of all, the US has decided to be pro-actively present in most parts of the world with their defense forces.  I am not saying that this is wrong. I am saying that this costs money. Therefore, it is not reasonable to compare US costs with those of most other countries.

Secondly, there is much more to an efficient defense than military hardware. Solid trade agreements with other countries are part of defense. Development aid can be seen also as part of it. Humanitarian assistance too. Education of people in and from potentially dangerous countries is also a defense investment.  And last , but not least all the efforts all our countries are doing these days to fight external (such as Russian) electronic interference into our societies are definitely also an increasing part of our smart defense efforts and costs.

So, Mr. Trump - also in this area I believe you have more important home work to do!

PRESIDENT MACRON: EUROPE IS AT THE CENTRE

France's new president Emmanuel Macron has put Europe at the centre of his policy. He has a very clear and forward-looking European policy, which he wants to pursue.

As a clear sign of his priorities he has given the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs a new name:
MINISTRY FOR EUROPE AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

Why?  Because Europe is not foreign affairs.   It would be great, if other member states of the EU made the same change in order to get in line with realities.