David Martin's EU Tribune

Scottish independence and the EU – a poor fit There is a fascinating piece of analysis currently doing the rounds in Brussels which pours cold water on any plans of an ‘independent’ Scotland joining the European Union (EU). I will reproduce in full and await the reaction! Just like lighting the blue touch paper on [...]

Time to get the finger out – Europe and the global economy The European Union (EU) came into existence to make sure another world war, as a result of conflict between France and Germany would be nigh on impossible, and to allow the nations of European benefit economically from economies of scale. In terms of [...]

Burma a guarded success for EU foreign policy! The situation in Burma and the condition of the Burmese people has always been a campaign close to my heart. It is an issue that I have always been passionate about since I became a European MP all those years ago. That is why I would agree [...]

EU-India Free Trade Agreement The ongoing negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) between the EU and India raise a number of serious concerns which need to be addressed. Promoting labour standards: the Indian government continues to refuse to agree to the inclusion of labour standards in the FTA and still hasn’t ratified core ILO [...]

Butchery of Namibian Cape Fur Seals must stop! New photographic evidence indicates that Cape Fur Seals of Namibia are NOT being harvested in a sustainable manner: “In our ongoing investigations, one of our contributors has given us this picture taken inside the seal processing factory in Henties Bay. This is a shot of the genitals [...]

Campaign to end commercial whaling This summer the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s (IFAW’s) 21 metre sailing research vessel Song of the Whale will be in Iceland, conducting research into the impact of whale watching on whales. Recent statements have suggested that whale watching has a detrimental impact on whales. These suggestions are based on [...]

Campaign for Arms Trade Treaty must go on! One person dies every minute because of armed violence! I read in the latest edition of Oxfam’s Scottish Newsletter that delegates at the United Nations (UN) have scuppered the hopes of people around the world that they would agree to a global Arms Trade Treaty – this [...]

Are Nation states ‘unable to meet global challenges’? I read a very interesting and inspirational article; by Vahram Ayvazyan is a participant in the Council of Europe’s Youth Peace Ambassadors project, on the problem of Globalisation. I did not agree with all of Vahram’s arguments and conclusions but his piece certainly made me think. I [...]