If you are a reader of my blog know about my stance on the need and the historic opportunity which means the inclusion of Turkey into the European family. On the other hand, in another era (it has to do with my past life of active European policy), I was an advocate of not opening the European area, when we were 15, not because of isolationist or Eurocentric, but by the fervent belief that before increasing the family, it was necessary to make a European architecture strong, clear and constitutional.
That illusion was not possible, after a disastrous expansion to 27 (for political and legal architecture of the EU). The IGC had the opportunity to give birth to a real Union, gave birth to a confusing Constitution, moreover, as we know, never came into force, and that gave rise to the disastrous decade of the EU, with the failed strategy Lisbon. But that is the past. Now we have the Lisbon Treaty , the most ambitious one Europe can achieve at this time, after doubts about the continuity of the EMU and therefore the Euro and the political unity of the EU opens a future not we must take, with opportunities and with which I open this post.
On 14 July the Commission formally announced the opening of negotiations for Association Agreements (the first step for future expansion) with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. The first rounds of negotiations have taken place between last week and now just in: Yerevan, Baku and Batumi. The agreements are based on joint obligations to share a set of joint values that cover a wide range of areas: justice, freedom and security, trade and cooperation in sectoral policies, among others.
In the city of Batumi (Georgia) on July 15, negotiations began with the presence of Commission Vice-President, Catherine Ashton, which emphasized the desire of these three countries to intensify their relations with the EU. These tend to be an initial step to start domestic structural reforms that help to converge with the European average in the future. Besides the main principle is to reinforce (and reform) their democratic systems, to be fully adaptable to the European family.
It is necessary to reinforce the strategic importance of these nations have for the stability of a region, already given to social and political vagaries. Undoubtedly pose problems. Russia will not stand idly by, watching as his former territory, knocking at the door of the accession of both the EU and NATO. Will undoubtedly be a strain of the next decade in the area. Hence the importance of identifying pro-European allies and step up aid in structural reforms, not only in economic but also in political and social.
In addition to these three countries the EU has enabled two partnership agreements with Moldova and Ukraine (the latter no doubt very difficult, to say nothing of the reactance Moldovan Romanian case).
This type of action, are included within an overall strategic policy of the EU, which I hope will intensify with the launch of the European External Action Service , called Framework ENP (European Neighbourhood Policy), established for the residents of South Eastern Europe.
Start new and exciting challenges, with the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon and the implementation of the Strategy 2020 . Let our visions and short-sighted Eurocentric in the depths of our memories and be bold. In the current evolution of the globalized world, only the bold will be able to guide European policy, as they did at the time our founding fathers.
It is time for action. It's time for Audacity.

So, with that brief title, with no additives, no more additions, my good friend and colleague Edgar Rovira directed by the Andalusian School of High Public Management , the course called " Internet & Politics ", in the 8th edition of the Courses Summer College in Pablo de Olavide Carmona (Sevilla) .
This course will take place between 27 and 29 September, with a duration of 20 hours, and a very affordable price of 90 euros. It aims to provide a review of the new scenarios that are generating the emergence of the Internet and its new tools in the world of politics. These new ways to communicate and interact, will be the leitmotif of the course, and the definition of what these new channels and how they use them the characters that make up the relational triangle of political action: citizens, political parties and public administration.
In those days, short but intense, we will address the main issues regarding concepts among the public and who are already seeping in both the administration and in the field of political management, such as eGovernment, the oGov, open data and eParticipation.
The course is aimed, not only those who are professionally interested in the state of affairs, but anyone who is interested in addressing in greater depth as mentioned above.
To illustrate this we (the royal we let me because I have a humble project collaboration), attended by politicians from different backgrounds, professional management and consultancy in various sectors.
Marc Lopez will be with us for Personal Democracy Forum , Jorge Galindo Nosholto , José Antonio del Moral de Alianzo , Guillem Bonafont political consultant, on the side of the world of consulting and Mario Jiménez, President of the Socialist Parliamentary Group of the Andalusian Parliament, Vice-President Cristina Cifuentes Parliament in Madrid, Córdoba Senator Fátima Ramírez, Jordi Graells de la Generalitat de Catalunya or RTVA President José Moratalla.
I sincerely hope that you have awakened the desire to meet in late September in the beautiful city of Carmona, to have an interesting debate about the proposed topic. See you there.

In this post desgranaré some of the milestones that I consider the Spanish Presidency has, during the six months that have elapsed since its inception. In another post I will outline, in my perspective, obviously, what were the issues that have been omitted or have not been projected during the semester.
We assume that the presidency is born with two major storm fronts: first l to world economic situation and the serious lack of credibility of our financial system and sovereign debt, and secondly the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon a new institutional framework which I mentioned earlier, since it represents, in a previous post .
This fourth President (1989, 1995 and 2002 were the others), was preceded by an intense work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, and especially the Secretariat of State for the European Union. One of the successes, which are not apparent, nor are of gloss in the media is the implementation of what has been called Trio : a set of rotating presidencies working on a joint agenda, so that issues are progressing in time or the resumption of the agenda marked by events. The first trio is composed by the Spanish Presidency, the Belgian and Hungarian the first half of 2011. This apparently that seems empty, is a challenge to the methodology of community work that was being developed and no doubt, will, better coordination between the rotating Council presidency, the European Commission and the President of the EU.
Spanish Presidency in fact, already taken action under its umbrella measures coming from the Swedish Presidency, as the European Recovery Plan , which has marked the rest of the proceedings) and shares of long-term measures, as has been the momentum of the Strategy 2020 , another topic that has gone almost unnoticed by the editors of the continent, perhaps by the perception of inane concept, derived from the failed Lisbon Strategy for the decade is seeing an end.
The new figures emerging in the Lisbon Treaty have been incorporated into the structure so placid and smooth, thanks in large part to the efforts of the Spanish Presidency and its involvement in developing the new agreements under scaffolding. In addition efforts have been seen to give more role to the European Parliament, as defined by the new Treaty, although in this area is long way to go and a lot of opacity in the face of European public opinion. The information capacity of the Commission and majestic, sailing too much educational efforts of the EP.
The main milestones of the Presidency are:

• Starting at the General Affairs Council of the European External Action Service . Cuatrílogo was intensified with the EP, there were amendments to the text and in June the CAG endorsed the progress of negotiations with the EP. The four parties have approved the initial resolution, so that he knows will come into force this year.
• The Commission submitted the proposal for a Regulation of the European Citizens' Initiative on March 31, thanks to the work of the presidency in June CAG already started work on the PE for processing and approval in 2011, to be possible at first reading. Great news for European citizenship.
• The 2020 Strategy has been the Stake Presidency. This is the path of work to determine the strategy for Growth and Employment in Europe for the next decade. That is, the future of the EU.
• The Presidency has chosen the pending enlargement processes, especially in Croatia (it has opened the process of the remaining chapters - 5 - of the negotiating process) and opened a new negotiation chapter with Turkey, preparing with others the Belgian Presidency will start in the new semester.
• It has established the Strategy for the Atlantic Arc to come into force in 2011, marine research, maritime surveillance and the challenges of economic and environmental sustainability, one of the largest regions in Europe.
• The CAG June introduced the Strategic Report on Cohesion Policy 2007-2013 , which through the conclusions of the Council shall establish the strategic focus of the ESF, the Cohesion Fund and 2020 Strategy for the future evolution of the European Union.
• In the ECOFIN has defined the Integrated Guidelines which will be two major economic instruments of the EU: the Broad Economic Policy (GOPES) and Guidelines on Employment. The first were approved at the June Council. All states must draw up National Reform Programmes according to these guidelines, thus advancing the economic and fiscal harmonization in the EU.
• The ECOFIN also have laid the groundwork for a future European Economic Governance, linked to the 2020 Strategy, based on art. TFU 136 and the listener has created a European Financial Stability Mechanism and a European Facility for Financial Stability (better known as Rescue Fund).
• The Spanish Presidency has been a strong promoter of the European Order of Protection, a valuable mechanism to combat gender violence, and their inclusion in the national agendas of the states. Pending ratification by the European Parliament and the Council concerned.
• The Competitiveness Council has agreed to implement actions leading to the electric vehicle as a model for mobility. This implies profound reforms in the R + D + i for manufacturers and suppliers, a new set of connectivity and creating new employment niches, as well as the reorganization of production on which Europe does not add value. This is a new opportunity.
• Also has decided to create a European Research Area and the momentum of the project experimental fusion reactor ITER , all within the lines of the 2020 Strategy.
• They have launched the first initiatives of the European Digital Agenda EU2020 marked by the Strategy.
• In the energy issues Energy Action Plan 2010-2020 and the regulations that will develop the Mediterranean Solar Plan and Plan Mediterranean Ring Gas and Electricity.

These political achievements have been made by the Spanish Presidency, I let others in the pipeline who have had more media coverage or have been of a specific meeting.
The question is, dear reader / a, why most of the issues referenced above hardly sound (especially the non-financial) and that they all will affect our lives. One reason is because l a European agenda has no place in the media. I still do not understand why any newspaper of national importance was still not a section that is called Europe and Euronews, between National and International, where the report of the "core" of political action of the Commission and the European Parliament. I have already, in vain hope that this will change, but this requires that citizens make our voice heard, our interests and we can achieve this was 2.0, making transmission belts for what interests us and that we detected as reliable and trustworthy source.
I hope the EU will lead this change in the future, through the direct involvement of its highest pillar, the Citizenship

Sorry for my lack of humility, but is that bloggers have a narcissistic inner surfaces with any excuse, so to seek notoriety in the "res 2.0". But in this case, I transmit to you my happiness for the award with which the Spanish Representation of the European Commission has nominated my blog: Blog on Strategy Best UE2020 or the Future of the European Union. Both concepts of treatment wherever I can in my Tractatus, and often do not post more on ideas that come, so for what ails us all to spend on this the blogocosa: Lack of time.
I, as there can be no other way to thank the jury of Space Europe that have taken consideration to my blog and of course share this satisfaction with the rest of the winners, especially with Hernandez and his magnificent Encarna blog "more Europe" .
European integration is not just a matter of officials and politicians in Brussels, is a work that requires the involvement of citizens, as well has being since the founding fathers planted the seed with those emerging Euroatom ECSC.
In these times of crisis, economic and political, that's when you need the involvement of everyone in getting to take decisive steps forward. I know that actions like this blog, are only a tiny speck of dust in the European scaffolding, but only then, extending the value of democratic and ethical principles involved in the construction of a civic space such as the European is like achieve progress as a society.
These initiatives by the European Commission in Spain, no doubt help shape public opinion, not just better informed, but becoming involved in political newspaper in Europe.
Indeed, one of the incentives of this prize is a trip to Brussels in the coming days with the winners to meet and have contact firsthand what happens in the Commission and the European Parliament, without a doubt an opportunity for a Europhile group euroadictos and share a few hours on a passion: Europe.
Oh, and by the way, this is the most important, the real engine that drives this is not anything that readers of this your house. Without you / as it would be pure fantasy. Many thanks for being there.

I do not want to make a post about which, very obviously opinion, were the highlights of the Spanish Presidency and what are their weaknesses. I do not think it's time before it will read, sift and reason all the information about already being broadcast and will air both institutional channels, the press or media.
I think such an assessment deserves a detailed analysis later, and even fields. A point of interest for me regarding cultural policies, of which I'll talk a later post.
Now I would like to make a thinking aloud about what has made this presidency, which has had a double feature for which has been special. The fate and destiny have wanted two things come together very noticeable in it, from one side of the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty and other global crisis stage and the special situation of our country on the world stage.
Starting at the end, no doubt, the crisis has been a very minor factor of the ambitious project of work that the Government of Spain had prepared for this semester just ended. The disaster of the Greek economy which put at risk the very survival of the EMU and the financial imbalance produced by the continuous speculative attacks on Spanish sovereign debt (among which are those of the Deutsche Bank!) and I must say , poor credit you have when our government to act strongly to these dollar vultures, who long to put in check the Euro .
But in addition, this semester started with another, "problem?. I refer to the arrival on the scene of another counter in the complex EU institutional structure, far beyond the committee to use. I refer to the existence of a three-headed political power: the President of the European Commission, Durao Barroso, the President of the Council of the rotating presidency, José Luis R. Zapatero and the President of the European Union, Van Rompuy. In this complex way of managing the power of the EU, I think the Spanish presidency marked an important milestone, there has been no fanfare, no outbursts, everything has flowed in semblance of normality for all European citizens (though I imagine, that printing will not be the same in the services of Cabinet and Protocol paths institutions). However, despite the problems, that there must have been, this has not been an issue of the Spanish Presidency, so this marked the path of how it has to work with the new structure. Imagine for a moment what would have happened if the launch had been in the hands of Berlusconi, Polish President Sarkozy or (shiver, right?).
Another question would be about the continuing absence of High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU, Baroness Ashton. Does anyone know what they do?, You know it you have to do?
But to return to this brief analysis of views. There are two issues I want to stress. An excessively worrying. At a time when the public is increasingly away from politics, and also see it as an evil to be endured (feeling sick concern), this was an opportunity to bring the concept of citizenship in Europe . But this has failed main thing, the communication link between citizens and institutions: the media. Continue ignoring the role of European institutions in the daily political work. There is no pan-European vision of the measures and news coming out of Brussels. Only when reports of meetings of the European Council or the Ecofin, the rest does not matter. Big mistake, in Europe everything is decided affects us daily, and this message does not reach the public. Only when the public perceives that sense, the EU will leap forward in the democratic deficit that has yet.
I can not conclude without pointing out two things about this presidency. Within the activity that has been deployed, people have tried to create nodes in the 2.0 space to try to move opinion on Europe. Initiatives such as: We talked about Europe , European or Challenge 2030 , are an attempt to socialize the European policies in civic networks . It is a road that has marked this presidency and I hope to continue the rest of the Presidencies, especially those of the rest of the Trio , now the Belgian and the first half of 2011 the Hungarian. Furthermore, this work not only remained in the section on digital agitation, was a hit to make a special call for the Third Sector European Malaga last May in the European Civic Days 2010 , an action which I hope will be repeated future presidencies.
Finally I want to remember a milestone of this presidency to respect for citizen participation and involvement in Europe. The impetus for the start-up, definitely the European Citizens' Initiative . A real opportunity to bring Europe closer to citizens, giving the word effectively and openly.