E.U. foreign affairs From the Arab News, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia The European Union has taken a big step toward speaking with a single voice in world affairs with the signing of the Lisbon Treaty. This provides not only for a single president of the union but also, perhaps more important, a foreign affairs spokesman.
There are clearly political troubles ahead for many those government leaders who intend to drag their citizens, whatever they actually want, into an ever deeper union of the 27 EU member states. However an opportunity has presented itself, which may help convince doubting European citizens that a single united foreign policy will enable the EU to punch at or even above its weight.
Christmas tree inflation From The Financial Times, London The specter of inflation once more stalks the world s economy. Oil, food, and now Christmas trees. The German forestry industry talks of a Christmas tree crisis, with supply down and prices up by nearly a third. But it should hardly come as a surprise that Christmas tree prices fluctuate. The world changes faster than the trees can grow, so we should expect occasional shortages and gluts.
Given the complexities involved, it is a near-miracle that the supply of Christmas trees planted years ago remotely matches today s demand. That, of course, is the genius of the market. And if climate change, globalization and cross-European migration make it somewhat more expensive to grow trees and ship them around the world for the twin purpose of supporting tinsel and then fueling a midwinter bonfire, that is a price that must be borne. Christmas will come anyway.