French Supreme Court Attorney Outlines Hopeful Vision for EUhttp://www.globalgovernancewatch.org/spotlight_on_sovereignty/french-supreme-court-attorney-outlines-hopeful-vision-for-eu

François-Henri Briard Attorney for the Conseil d'Etat and the Cour de cassation of France Président, Institut Vergennes   Excerpts from a Speech to The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies National Lawyers Convention Washington D.C.

International law needs the agreement of authentic actors, on common values, to generate a real and binding rule of law. As a laboratory for the integration of national legal cultures, the European Union experience is the "embryo" for the future of international law. Europe remains a work in progress, and it has not reached its definitive shape, neither in its geographical dimension, nor in its political ambition.However, with the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon and the election of EU executive officers, everything seems to converge, stepwise, in this European upward walking toward a more and more advanced harmonization that, most probably, will soon conduct us to a special form of federalism. But, this federalism must be based on common values.Globalization accelerates time and creates the need to strengthen our fundamental values in order that diversity be transcended in such a “community of nations” brought together by the same vision.

£500 'smart' powers meters for all which could let energy firms cap use in homeshttp://current.com/items/91575104_500-smart-powers-meters-for-all-which-could-let-energy-firms-cap-use-in-homes.htm 'Smart meters' for gas and electricity are set to be approved for installation across the country in a huge project that could cost homes and businesses more than £500 eachThe meters are being presented as the key to doing away with estimated bills and encouraging families to cut down on their energy use by showing them how much they are using.