Editorial

Citation

Coleman, J. and Rankin, A. (2002), "Editorial", European Business Review, Vol. 14 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/ebr.2002.05414dab.001

Editorial

EditorJohn Coleman

Deputy EditorAidan Rankin

A sensible Europe

All the articles in this issue of New European, although perhaps not directly applicable to business interests in the narrow sense, concentrate on the kind of Europe that would not only make sense for all its peoples, producers and consumers alike, but would also clear the path for effective enlargement by creating a "sensible Europe", a phrase once strongly approved by the former Foreign Secretary, Douglas Hurd.

Now we have a very perceptive contribution from David Heathcoat-Amory, the Conservative representative at the "Convention on the Future of Europe" chaired by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing – a title that Heathcoat-Amory does not regard as terribly sensible. He emphasises the mistake of trying to follow the American model and raises the fundamental question: "Is democracy possible at the supranational level?" It might be suggested that Mr Heathcoat-Amory should take the original statute of the Council of Europe, which Winston Churchill had the guiding hand in shaping, back to Brussels and offer it to the former French President as a far better model, reminding his colleagues that President de Gaulle once called that marginalized and almost forgotten institution "that Sleeping Beauty on the Banks of the Rhine", as a far better model for considering the future of Europe.

The next article comes from Chris Taylor who until last year was Chief Adviser in the European Division of the Bank of England. Although he faces holding the possibility of a "No" vote in the referendum, when and if it comes, his contribution is one that does not hide the depths and complexity of the subject.

This is followed by an equally challenging piece from Denmark by Luise Hemmer Pihl. She raises the question: can the euro exist in parallel with national currencies. If it can then the either/or arguments about the euro are outmoded. And all this at a time when, although she does not say it, the EU Commission in Brussels is investigating the idea of complementary currencies for the proposed new regions. She does, however, provide a fascinating survey of how the euro is widely and comfortably used in Denmark and makes some interesting comparisons with the situation in Sweden.

The variety of continental names in this issue may possibly be taken to affirm our excellent European credentials and the fact that of our four articles two are by men and two by women should signify that we have arrived at a pleasant position of "equality of opportunity" without any behind-the-scenes artificial manoeuvrings to achieve it.