Walker's World: Two-speed Europe

By MARTIN WALKER, UPI Editor Emeritus PARIS, June 23 (UPI) -- The European Union summit in Brussels, with the heads of government of all 27 member states, decided to lift sanctions on Cuba and to tighten them on Sudan and Zimbabwe. It also kicked a few cans down the road, putting off an opening date for Macedonia to start talks on joining the EU and fending off a potentially nasty row about fuel tax cuts by telling its executive arm, the EU Commission, to "examine the feasibility of taxation measures to smooth the impact of sudden oil price increases" by October. There are three interesting features of these decisions. First, it suggests those who say the EU needs a new organizing treaty or constitution, because the current rules cannot cope with the enlarged Europe of 27, have some explaining to do. It seems to be... [read full story]