Straw's mask slips; much better if EU run by chaps like him without any scrutiny.

Commissioner Malmström (who knows a thing or two about this) explains how to get your foot in the door in the EU.

#fb That will be fun, won't it!

Villy Søvndal doesn't know.

"The EU’s foreign affairs apparatus is about as incohesive as it can possibly get."

Fails to identify key UK contribution to the problem!

Declan Ganley and Brendan Simms call for a fully federal EU. (I'm surprised; I had pigeon-holed them both as Eurosceptics, but obviously was wrong.)

The Bosnian dairy industry.

Resigning Tory MEP clarifies situation.

@lobjakas: Repeating the course of history in the 1930s, Estonia's foreign policy focus is shifting away from the anglophone powers.

Twelve member states criticise European External Action Service for being useless.

Five new members for the EFD group.

Cameron's allies dwindling...

Kirtsy Hughes, again: "Rather than playing a major influential role to stop a euro-meltdown, or being in a position to lead through the crisis if the euro did implode, Cameron has relegated the UK to the sidelines whichever way the euro crisis plays out. It is a deeply unimpressive result for a country and a government that likes to assert it…

"Roughly one year after its establishment, the EEAS still suffers from a number of design flaws. It has an insufficient resource base and there is a lack of genuine buy-in on the parts of both the member states and the European Commission." And one other big problem not named but shown in the picture. Informed but slightly wishful analys…

European publics feel safe from armed attack; have become disillusioned with the doctrine of liberal interventionism; and are unconvinced by attempts to conjure ‘new threats’ to justify defence spending. Nick Witney suggests that such reactions are understandable, but dangerously short-sighted. <- Excellent piece including some reflections on w…

It was barely a year ago that a web-based collaboration of scientists and citizens demonstrated that Mr zu Guttenberg's doctoral thesis was shamelessly plagiarised from over 130 different sources... Commissioner Kroes justified her choice of consultant saying she wanted "talent, not saints". Yet surely the fact that Mr zu Guttenberg…

MEPs rejected the deal in its current form by 326 votes to 296 on Wednesday, which will lead to its immediate suspension. They voted instead for a new protocol that is economically, ecologically and socially sustainable, and that fully respects international law. Back in Laayoune, Ismaili Mohamed Barek, 34, had been hoping for such an outcome. He …

Brilliant piece from my former colleague Kirsty.

This paper was personally recommended to me by a former prime minister today. (PDF)

Brilliant!

5% threshold struck down. From @LWvdLaan.

"European Parliament's Development and Budget Committee both adopted an opinion calling on Parliament to reject the EU-Morocco fisheries agreement."

European politicians have preferred to integrate by stealth rather than public debate. But they cannot do that any more.

Andrew Duff: "everyone in Brussels and elsewhere knows that, in current or likely future circumstances, no question with the word ‘Europe' in it will induce the answer ‘Yes' in a British referendum."

Pete also thinks that the Greek solution is untenable.

He says it only last between "one day and three months".