| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months 22:56 - Apr 7 with 4916 views | StokieBlue |
Professor Mauro Ferrari (great name) has resigned as the president of the European Research Council. He was not impressed that the EU couldn't mount a coordinated response to the virus across the whole block.
"I arrived at the ERC a fervent supporter of the EU [but] the Covid-19 crisis completely changed my views, though the ideals of international collaboration I continue to support with enthusiasm."
That's sad.
I wonder whether there will be any long-term fallout within the EU will be from C-19. There seem to be quite a few dissenting voices at the moment but a lot of that could just be frustration at the very difficult circumstances everyone is facing.
Edit, more of the statement has been released:
"I have been extremely disappointed by the European response to Covid-19, for what pertains to the complete absence of coordination of health care policies among member states, the recurrent opposition to cohesive financial support initiatives, the pervasive one-sided border closures, and the marginal scale of synergistic scientific initiatives.
I am afraid that I have seen enough of both the governance of science, and the political operations at the European Union.
In these three long months, I have indeed met many excellent and committed individuals, at different levels of the organisation of the ERC and the EC.
However, I have lost faith in the system itself. And now the times require decisive, focused, and committed actions — a call to responsibility for all those that have an aspiration to make a difference against this devastating tragedy."
He's not held back there.
SB [Post edited 7 Apr 2020 23:00]
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| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 23:14 - Apr 7 with 4620 views | Herbivore |
It's almost like we don't have a federal Europe and that member states still largely are able to dictate their own policies. |  |
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| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 08:46 - Apr 8 with 4427 views | WD19 |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 23:14 - Apr 7 by Herbivore |
It's almost like we don't have a federal Europe and that member states still largely are able to dictate their own policies. |
It will be interesting at the end of all of this. How the various debt will be supported.
It will be like a group of not-very-good friends receiving the bill at the end of dinner and arguing about who had the steak and dessert, versus who had no starter and drank tap water. Could maybe be the catalyst for reform that is long overdue and that Brexit may have inadvertently delayed. |  | | |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 08:50 - Apr 8 with 4418 views | itfcjoe |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 08:46 - Apr 8 by WD19 |
It will be interesting at the end of all of this. How the various debt will be supported.
It will be like a group of not-very-good friends receiving the bill at the end of dinner and arguing about who had the steak and dessert, versus who had no starter and drank tap water. Could maybe be the catalyst for reform that is long overdue and that Brexit may have inadvertently delayed. |
I saw somewhere, not sure the exact detail, but someone from the Italian side ran a full page press advert in a German daily reminding them that they had their war debts waived after WW2, so this isn't going to go down harmoniously |  |
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| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 09:07 - Apr 8 with 4392 views | WeWereZombies |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 08:50 - Apr 8 by itfcjoe |
I saw somewhere, not sure the exact detail, but someone from the Italian side ran a full page press advert in a German daily reminding them that they had their war debts waived after WW2, so this isn't going to go down harmoniously |
A report (from Singapore to avoid The Telegraph's paywall) here:
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/italy-germany-covid-19-help-war-12594
There are issues with The Netherlands too, just to get away from the 'don't mention the war' actually really mention the war' tack:
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/02/coronavirus-eu-latest-dutch-offer-as-death-toll-
Perhaps this is one aspect where Brexit is the only course, when money is involved the European Union gets more hard nosed than anyone and, apart from Thatcher (if we can ignore the baggage), none of our politicians have been up to the job. |  |
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| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 10:38 - Apr 8 with 4313 views | Bluefish |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 23:14 - Apr 7 by Herbivore |
It's almost like we don't have a federal Europe and that member states still largely are able to dictate their own policies. |
Who knew? |  |
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| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 13:01 - Apr 8 with 4241 views | Leaky |
That's not going to go down well with Bolox to Brexit crowd on here. !!!!! |  | | |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 13:09 - Apr 8 with 4224 views | monytowbray |
The EU is a trading block. Outside of that it really doesn't have as much influence as people make out.
I always find the responses amusing when you ask Brexiteers what laws they're most looking forward to changing when we've left.
The EU isn't in a healthy place, hasn't been for a while, but we could still have done more good to move it forward inside of it than out of it. [Post edited 8 Apr 2020 13:13]
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| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 14:08 - Apr 8 with 4166 views | portmanking |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 13:09 - Apr 8 by monytowbray |
The EU is a trading block. Outside of that it really doesn't have as much influence as people make out.
I always find the responses amusing when you ask Brexiteers what laws they're most looking forward to changing when we've left.
The EU isn't in a healthy place, hasn't been for a while, but we could still have done more good to move it forward inside of it than out of it. [Post edited 8 Apr 2020 13:13]
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The vast majority of all that we do/did in the UK has/had full oversight from the European Court of Justice. To say that the EU is just a trading block is utter folly. |  | | |
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| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 14:11 - Apr 8 with 4160 views | monytowbray |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 14:08 - Apr 8 by portmanking |
The vast majority of all that we do/did in the UK has/had full oversight from the European Court of Justice. To say that the EU is just a trading block is utter folly. |
It's no where near as negatively influencial on our laws as Farage makes out though. That was my point. | |
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| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 14:13 - Apr 8 with 4157 views | portmanking |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 14:11 - Apr 8 by monytowbray |
It's no where near as negatively influencial on our laws as Farage makes out though. That was my point. |
You said the EU doesn't have much influence aside from trading. The ECJ overrides the UK Supreme Court. That's about as influential as it gets. | | | |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 14:16 - Apr 8 with 4151 views | midastouch |
When the s**t hits the fan, every member state still looks out for number one. |  |
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| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 14:16 - Apr 8 with 4146 views | monytowbray |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 14:13 - Apr 8 by portmanking |
You said the EU doesn't have much influence aside from trading. The ECJ overrides the UK Supreme Court. That's about as influential as it gets. |
How many UK laws has the EU overrode that bother you? [Post edited 8 Apr 2020 14:17]
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| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 14:28 - Apr 8 with 4113 views | portmanking |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 14:16 - Apr 8 by monytowbray |
How many UK laws has the EU overrode that bother you? [Post edited 8 Apr 2020 14:17]
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It is hard to overstate the degree to which the ECJ is a constraint on our very own ministers' ability to do the things they were elected to do, or to use their judgement about the right course of action for the people of this country. The reality is that the UK government has not been in control in hundreds of areas that matter through the years. | | | |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 14:29 - Apr 8 with 4110 views | monytowbray |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 14:28 - Apr 8 by portmanking |
It is hard to overstate the degree to which the ECJ is a constraint on our very own ministers' ability to do the things they were elected to do, or to use their judgement about the right course of action for the people of this country. The reality is that the UK government has not been in control in hundreds of areas that matter through the years. |
That’s not an answer to my question. | |
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| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 14:41 - Apr 8 with 4092 views | flimflam |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 23:14 - Apr 7 by Herbivore |
It's almost like we don't have a federal Europe and that member states still largely are able to dictate their own policies. |
The EU wears no clothes. |  |
| All men and women are created, by the, you know the, you know the thing. |
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| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 14:48 - Apr 8 with 4073 views | Swansea_Blue |
He doesn't appear to know what the ERC do, which is somewhat surprising since he was appointed the head. It's a body to fund frontier research, responding to researcher ideas. It doesn't fund prescribed calls around themes - the EU has other funding schemes to that through Horizon 2020 and the various Structural and Cohesion funds (it's already released €billions of extra money into these schemes to tackle Covid-19 problems, from community responses to vaccine development.
He should also know that although the ERC was founded by the Commission, it's run by an independent board. So it's not going to be part of a prescribed political response. It's simply not how it functions. (He's also not strictly speaking the EU's top scientist, for the same reason).
Anyway, all is not necessarily what it seems - The ERC today released a statement saying the decision was made on 27th March to remove him, in a vote of no confidence. (They touch on their remit in the statement).
https://erc.europa.eu/news/resignation-mauro-ferrari-%E2%80%93-statement-scienti [Post edited 8 Apr 2020 14:55]
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| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 14:59 - Apr 8 with 4052 views | StokieBlue |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 14:48 - Apr 8 by Swansea_Blue |
He doesn't appear to know what the ERC do, which is somewhat surprising since he was appointed the head. It's a body to fund frontier research, responding to researcher ideas. It doesn't fund prescribed calls around themes - the EU has other funding schemes to that through Horizon 2020 and the various Structural and Cohesion funds (it's already released €billions of extra money into these schemes to tackle Covid-19 problems, from community responses to vaccine development.
He should also know that although the ERC was founded by the Commission, it's run by an independent board. So it's not going to be part of a prescribed political response. It's simply not how it functions. (He's also not strictly speaking the EU's top scientist, for the same reason).
Anyway, all is not necessarily what it seems - The ERC today released a statement saying the decision was made on 27th March to remove him, in a vote of no confidence. (They touch on their remit in the statement).
https://erc.europa.eu/news/resignation-mauro-ferrari-%E2%80%93-statement-scienti [Post edited 8 Apr 2020 14:55]
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Interesting - thanks.
They hadn't made a statement when the news broke yesterday.
SB | | | |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 15:04 - Apr 8 with 4042 views | Swansea_Blue |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 14:59 - Apr 8 by StokieBlue |
Interesting - thanks.
They hadn't made a statement when the news broke yesterday.
SB |
I'm assuming they had to either:
a) put the record straight, or
b) go into damage limitation mode
Take your pick wich. I've no idea what went on and hadn't heard any inside gossip about what went on. FWIW, I'd probably trust the views of the organisation over the individual. There are plenty of maverick and selfish scientists about, whereas the ERC Scientific Committee and Exec would probably have to reach a consensus. | |
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| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 15:23 - Apr 8 with 4022 views | Herbivore |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 14:41 - Apr 8 by flimflam |
The EU wears no clothes. |
What kind of clothes would a supranational political organisation usually wear? | |
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| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 15:29 - Apr 8 with 4015 views | Swansea_Blue |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 15:23 - Apr 8 by Herbivore |
What kind of clothes would a supranational political organisation usually wear? |
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| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 15:36 - Apr 8 with 3998 views | Herbivore |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 15:29 - Apr 8 by Swansea_Blue |
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I was thinking a mankini or similar. Something that says "I'm so powerful I don't care how ridiculous I look". | |
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| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 13:16 - Apr 9 with 3845 views | midastouch |
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2020/03/23/1097763/brace-for-european-financial-armag
The follow is an excerpt from the article (see in full at the link above):
"Today, not a single European country is doing well which means there is limited willingness for European countries to come to each other’s aid. They are busy dealing with their own crises. Just witness how Italy has been left alone with its crisis by Europe and now rather gets its medical support from China.
An almighty economic earthquake is in the making. In a few weeks or months, several large European economies will require bailout and assistance packages. These will be several times larger than anything Europe has seen. Yet no country, central bank or institution will be eager or even able to provide them. Even the gargantuan sums on the table now will not be enough.
Incidentally, forget about the International Monetary Fund. It was already stretched when it got involved with Greece last time. It cannot bail out all of Europe when the euro collapses." | |
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| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 13:23 - Apr 9 with 3833 views | midastouch |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 13:16 - Apr 9 by midastouch |
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2020/03/23/1097763/brace-for-european-financial-armag
The follow is an excerpt from the article (see in full at the link above):
"Today, not a single European country is doing well which means there is limited willingness for European countries to come to each other’s aid. They are busy dealing with their own crises. Just witness how Italy has been left alone with its crisis by Europe and now rather gets its medical support from China.
An almighty economic earthquake is in the making. In a few weeks or months, several large European economies will require bailout and assistance packages. These will be several times larger than anything Europe has seen. Yet no country, central bank or institution will be eager or even able to provide them. Even the gargantuan sums on the table now will not be enough.
Incidentally, forget about the International Monetary Fund. It was already stretched when it got involved with Greece last time. It cannot bail out all of Europe when the euro collapses." |
Italy is too big to fail and too big to bail. | |
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| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 22:51 - Apr 9 with 3758 views | Eireannach_gorm |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 13:16 - Apr 9 by midastouch |
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2020/03/23/1097763/brace-for-european-financial-armag
The follow is an excerpt from the article (see in full at the link above):
"Today, not a single European country is doing well which means there is limited willingness for European countries to come to each other’s aid. They are busy dealing with their own crises. Just witness how Italy has been left alone with its crisis by Europe and now rather gets its medical support from China.
An almighty economic earthquake is in the making. In a few weeks or months, several large European economies will require bailout and assistance packages. These will be several times larger than anything Europe has seen. Yet no country, central bank or institution will be eager or even able to provide them. Even the gargantuan sums on the table now will not be enough.
Incidentally, forget about the International Monetary Fund. It was already stretched when it got involved with Greece last time. It cannot bail out all of Europe when the euro collapses." |
https://www.thejournal.ie/eu-coronavirus-rescue-deal-5071464-Apr2020/ |  | | |
| The EU's top scientist has resigned after only 3 months on 23:38 - Apr 9 with 3739 views | midastouch |
The economic Twilight Zone!
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