Prospect recently held a roundtable attended by leading diplomats. The meeting was held under the Chatham House rule and the following points and questions were raised:
—Will the US shale gas boom happen in the way people think? Not everyone is convinced.
—Are there any green shoots in Europe?
—There are few people willing to take on projects in the UK that require long-term finance. Companies are frightened of political rule-changing.
—The politics of the Netherlands—what happened? Why did a once-liberal country become so closed?
—Getting results out of democracy is becoming harder.
—The number of EU commissioners is too high and should be reduced.
—Germany now knows what it is like to be the US—to be the culprit for everything.
—Will the US shale gas boom happen in the way people think? Not everyone is convinced.
—Are there any green shoots in Europe?
—There are few people willing to take on projects in the UK that require long-term finance. Companies are frightened of political rule-changing.
—The politics of the Netherlands—what happened? Why did a once-liberal country become so closed?
—Getting results out of democracy is becoming harder.
—The number of EU commissioners is too high and should be reduced.
—Germany now knows what it is like to be the US—to be the culprit for everything.
