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I am both worried and curious about the obvious fact, which I had not really thought about until now, that Europe has no personal computer manufacturing. And, despite a good start in mobile telephony, with Nokia and Ericsson, we also missed the train of smart phones, probably because we were, unlike some of our Far East competitors, respectful of Apple’s patents. 5G seems to tell the same story. These are huge products in today’s World, with the potential to create vast amounts of wealth and prosperity, as well as strategic advantages. I wonder why Europe does not play in this game, what the reasons are for our sitting on the bench, watching the US and the Far East fight it out. I think we lack a common European conscience, still in early development, which drives us to consume European, when possible, in the same way Americans and Asians do. Just remember, when you are next shopping, for trainers, or an electric car, your consumer choices shape global geopolitics Length: 979 character...

The EU has announced a 750 billion (American) euro recovery fund. It will be used by countries as they need it, will be deployed to fund strategically important sectors and, unlike recovery cash in the aftermath of the last financial crisis, will be repaid from EU funds. This sets up the scene for poorer countries to benefit the most and for richer countries to pay most of the bill. The EU has, finally, after over 20 years in the wilderness, remembered that solidarity is one of the values at the heart of its project. It’s only one policy, one announcement, but it has the potential to be a paradigm change, to build a more equal, faster growing and more competitive Europe. I’m both relieved and heartened that, when we expect to be let down by our politicians, the leaders of the European economic powers and the top European bureaucrats have answered the call of history and stood up, refusing to withdraw from the fight against exacerbated, selfish nationalism. The EU has a chance. We all d...