Lisbon isn't working because they're all on siestas...

It was bound to happen...

I'm sorry but I can't resist any longer ... as fun as telling you all about my drunken exploits is I must now have a political rant-ish... I promise to try and keep this short and as entertaining as possible...

To those who don't know the Lisbon Agenda is the EU's plan to make Europe the most competitive economy in the world by 2012. This includes taking action on job creation and job quality, productivity, research and technology, education and a whole raft of other things.

It's not working. In fact its fucked.

Before coming out here I didn't know why. It is a sound idea, on paper what has been said and promised looks feasible and achievable. So why doesn't it work? I can explain.

It's the Belgians fault.

Okay this may be a slight over-simplification but allow me to explain my reasoning. One example. In the UK you can access your account with your bank card on any cash machine in the UK, even if its a foreign card. In Belgium you can''t. This is just one small example of the problems.

Before the Easter bank holidays (that means Wednesday here, cause the EP staff takes Thursday off too, slackers, MEP staff had to work) we were going for a coffee after lunch in the EP. At the coffee shop we go to there are two bars to get a coffee, but because it was a day before the EP shuts one of them was shut causing massive ques at the other, which caused some people not to bother! WHAT THE HELL!!! Why shut one!?!?!? Its just STUPID!!!

Another example. The most efficient, practical and profit-driven of bars in Brussels tend to be the Irish ones. These you can expect the closest to good customer service you will get. Over the bank holidays (so Good Friday and Easter Monday) they refused to open until 5... They normally open at 12... Yes thats right when everyone is at WORK they open at 12 but when everyone is OFF WORK WANTING A PLACE TO GO they CLOSE!!! WHAT THE FUCK!!! And thats the good ones, some normal bars didn't even open! And you can forget about doing anything on a Sunday, Brussels shuts down! If it wasn't for the damn Church bells going off from the damn Church I live on the same street as I would suspect that even they shut on Sundays!

Of course Belgium is not alone in these things... These problems of simple inefficiency are inherent in many EU countries, and if you think these small scale problems are bad the macro-economic ones are just as stupid and trivial but prevent alot of things getting done. As funny as it is to laugh at stupid sleepy Europeans these types of policies prevent job creation, economic growth and many other important developments. Its just stupid.

Okay political rant over. Next post will be about social stuff promise, and next week I'm going to Strasbourg so will tell you all about my week in Stras and France-that-was-Germany-that-was-France-that-was-Germany (oh dear now I'm doing history, I need a drink!) soon!