4 ms·

Companies are not elected for "the good of the people", so they have no obligation. Oh wait, neither are the officials of the EU commission. Hmmm

qsort 4y ago
They are nominated by the Council and confirmed by the Parliament, it's cheap populism to imply they don't represent the public at large.
- dmichulke 4y ago
  I vote every 4 years (i.e. once every 1460 days) and have the choice between several mediocre candidates and parties. I don't see why I should feel represented. It goes without saying that this amount of felt representation doesn't increase with EU bodies (save the parliament)
simion314 4y ago
Always blame the EU when your favorite party is in power for years and did shit. I don't remember EU forcing Germany to buy gas from Russia or close their nuclear power. Russian gas was cheap so capitalism dictated to use it, closing nuclear plants scored some national politics points so sure close that too. But the most simple excuse for a bad government is to blame the opposition, when you were in power for a long time and you can't blame the opposition hen you blame the EU and US.
- dmichulke 4y ago
  The main point to GP was that companies have no obligation whatsoever. Personally, I don't hold ONLY the commission accountable. But the problem here is that the amount of learning (or even just admitting mistakes) is zero, so I don't see how they're not doing more stupid things down the line.
  - simion314 4y ago
    >so I don't see how they're not doing more stupid things down the line. What do you mean? EU commission should force Germany to like nuclear? We all need to blame our politicians, UK, Germany, Romania (... the rest) - we all could have done a better job but corrupptuon and greed of our local politicians screwed us the citizens. The thing though I am puzzled about is this big price increases, I am not sure if I can blame the EU commission or is again the local politicians and greedy companies that profited to raise all the prices.
    - dmichulke 4y ago
      I mean that it's safe to assume incompetent leadership in the future (by those same actors, i.e. commission and member states) My bet is price controls (and I don't mean the stupid oil price cap) and capital controls next.
benj111 4y ago
I never said they were. But on the subject of companies struggling to pay fuel bills for something foreseen, the companies in question surely bears some of the blame. The glass company in the article has had 8 years to consider what would happen. 8 years where in could have investigated and invested in more efficient kilns, electric kilns, price hedging, etc. This isn't about the good of the people it's about the good of the company. They took a business decision not to protect themselves against this eventuality, why is government to blame for that business decision? All the while the EU has been encouraging all these measures anyway. Has the company not considered what happens if they can't burn gas in the future? I don't know if France has a net zero target, but even if it doesn't it is a possibility.

qsort 4y ago

They are nominated by the Council and confirmed by the Parliament, it's cheap populism to imply they don't represent the public at large.

dmichulke 4y ago
I vote every 4 years (i.e. once every 1460 days) and have the choice between several mediocre candidates and parties. I don't see why I should feel represented. It goes without saying that this amount of felt representation doesn't increase with EU bodies (save the parliament)

simion314 4y ago

Always blame the EU when your favorite party is in power for years and did shit. I don't remember EU forcing Germany to buy gas from Russia or close their nuclear power. Russian gas was cheap so capitalism dictated to use it, closing nuclear plants scored some national politics points so sure close that too. But the most simple excuse for a bad government is to blame the opposition, when you were in power for a long time and you can't blame the opposition hen you blame the EU and US.

dmichulke 4y ago
The main point to GP was that companies have no obligation whatsoever. Personally, I don't hold ONLY the commission accountable. But the problem here is that the amount of learning (or even just admitting mistakes) is zero, so I don't see how they're not doing more stupid things down the line.
- simion314 4y ago
  >so I don't see how they're not doing more stupid things down the line. What do you mean? EU commission should force Germany to like nuclear? We all need to blame our politicians, UK, Germany, Romania (... the rest) - we all could have done a better job but corrupptuon and greed of our local politicians screwed us the citizens. The thing though I am puzzled about is this big price increases, I am not sure if I can blame the EU commission or is again the local politicians and greedy companies that profited to raise all the prices.
  - dmichulke 4y ago
    I mean that it's safe to assume incompetent leadership in the future (by those same actors, i.e. commission and member states) My bet is price controls (and I don't mean the stupid oil price cap) and capital controls next.

benj111 4y ago

I never said they were. But on the subject of companies struggling to pay fuel bills for something foreseen, the companies in question surely bears some of the blame. The glass company in the article has had 8 years to consider what would happen. 8 years where in could have investigated and invested in more efficient kilns, electric kilns, price hedging, etc. This isn't about the good of the people it's about the good of the company. They took a business decision not to protect themselves against this eventuality, why is government to blame for that business decision? All the while the EU has been encouraging all these measures anyway. Has the company not considered what happens if they can't burn gas in the future? I don't know if France has a net zero target, but even if it doesn't it is a possibility.