Mauricio



My view is this is about culture(s) and that is the worst thing to try and change.



Elements in Poland - to name one - appear to see EU funds not as economic transitional aid but a form of ongoing compensation for what happened in and after WW2.



Germany having suffered the economic turmoil of the 30's and the wasteland that followed WW2 is determined to hang onto cash at all costs.



France historically has had anxiety about it's vulnerability to domination by Germany. The thinking behind the Maginot Line building pre WW2 is revealing - as is the roots of the EU in the initial demand of access to Germany's coal.



The UK has a history of being worried about being drawn into continental conflict. Reforms in the UK were not undertaken willingly but forced by N Sea Oil making Sterling an Oil currency



Somebody somewhere had the idea that force-fitting everything together would work by polarization. The polarization has occurred but has split the centre ground producing increased concern about national identity.



The euro as a common currency along with Schengen gives a 2% operational advantage, take that away and a 2% step up in growth is needed just to stand still. No euro then no Schengen, no point in it.



Other countries that are not industrial based inevitably have problems in a common currency without automatic transfers.



Before anybody points out this is hopelessly short as an overview, I agree that, but the point is the EU's problems are both political and economic and as the economic problems do not appear to be able to be sorted the political ones stand no chance of being addressed.



It is a very sad situation and hundreds of millions are affected and effectively could descend into economic civil war. There is also no doubt others would welcome a weaker EU.



I return again and again to the fact that an organisation that could not move to give the UK a temporary cap on migration which would have knocked Brexit to one side is most unlikely to be able to solve major structural reform. The EU is simply not a flexible and responsive entity and risks being shown as a post war concept incapable of reform



Then there is the issue of the gargantuan debt and the brilliant idea this debt should be open-endedly serviced by the taxpayer by 'whatever it takes' which is just a massive deferment device and currency debasement



If somebody passed me the prospectus and said will you buy I would say nope, come back when you have raised a reality check and cashed it



(BTW I find it disappointing when people take about 0.5% growth for France when the issue is a 20% disadvantage with Germany and use phrases like 'differences may not pose an insurmountable obstacle to cooperation'. This is just death by blandishments)