Bridging what is left of the Iron Curtain will not be easy. But that is always the case when great things are at stake. That - not tonight’s celebrations - is what Europeans, old and new, East and West, should remember when the road gets a little bumpy along the way.
Only a few minutes [...]

If you’re not out celebrating, BBC News are covering the accession celebrations live. A streaming feed of their broadcast should be available from the website.

Russel Arben Fox is already going on Summer holiday, blogwise, in order to catch up on other (more?!) important things. Looks like a good opportunity to check his archives and do some catching up ourselves…

Via Desbladet and Libé, I see that the PUF will be releasing, for the first time, a Que sais-je? in English.
The Que sais-je? series is an essential reference title, something missing in the English language market. French reference books on the whole are better than English ones, and there are a number [...]

Apparently, the Pitcairn Islands - famous from the many Mutiny on the Bounty movies - are a part of Europe, or so says the Pitcairn Islands tribunal in New Zealand. The story is up at the Head Heeb (via Crooked Timber). The whole story of the tribunal is long, sordid, and best [...]

The Financial Times has what I consider to be an important editorial this morning. It concerns a letter 52 former ambassadors and international officials have written to Tony Blair telling him he is damaging UK (and western) interests by backing George W. Bush’s misguided policies in the Middle East. The FT describes this as “the [...]

Bernard sent me this link from the New York Times with the suggestion that it might be of interest to AFOE readers. I am dutifully complying by posting. Unfortunately I fear the situation described may come much more as news in the US than it does to those of us here in Europe.
Luton: “In this [...]

Gentle readers, important things are happening this week. At the risk of telling you something you may have heard before - in only four days, on May 1st, ten countries will become members of a European Union that will hopefully not just become larger, but better (alright, over time). Only fifteen years ago, predicting such [...]

Chris Patten warns that a British ‘no’ vote in the referendum on the constitution could force Britain out of the EU

So, Cyprus’ referendums brought a ‘No’ from the Greek side of the island, with over 75% of voters rejecting the plans and a ‘Yes’ from the Turkish side, with over 65% in favour.
No one really seems to know where they go from here - the UN is closing the office of peace envoy Alvaro de [...]