Is it me or have we heard it all before when it comes to these EU Summits? Today marks the start of the 19th summit in 2 years. That's right, the 19th! There's talk about Germany being willing to negotiate on Eurobonds and also trying to get Italy's borrowing costs to fall to below 4% from it's current 6.2%. Spain surely will be on the agenda with their borrowing costs ~7% and having just formally asked for financial (and unconditional!) support for their banking sector. Here's a brief schedule:- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/9359289/EU-Summit-schedule.html
What do they actually achieve I ask other than wasting their time and tax payers money? Sure, they need to meet and discuss the way forward. Just as they do in their own countries- which clearly hasn't helped matters either. So what is it then? A reassurance to the markets that "we know there's a problem and we're on the case" followed by a jolly up in Brussels? Because seriously, I do not know what they actually expect to achieve other than process. By this I mean banging heads against brick walls for long enough to eventually realise that the EU is fundamentally flawed. I don't see them as especially well qualified to take proper measures. After all, they are politicians right? They just want to be re-elected in the mean time and convince themselves they are doing the right thing- there's no better lie than one told by someone who believes it's true.
So I ask you again, what on earth do they do at these damn EU Summits and why should we even raise an eyebrow each time another one of these pointless ceremonies rolls around?