Chris Gilson takes a look at the week in Brussels blogging.

The EU centre

The New Federalist looks at the idea of directly electing the European Commission President, saying that true power stems from election, not nomination, as is currently the case.

This week Coulisses de Bruxelles interviews Guy Verhofstadt, president of the Liberal Democratic Party, who argues for European (rather than national) level sovereignty.

Nada es Gratis looks at the importance of asymmetric fiscal shocks in the eurozone and how effective fiscal transfers and a eurozone fiscal union might be in reducing their effects.

EU Foreign policy and the European neighbourhood

Lost in EUrope raises concerns that new trade agreements with Peru and Columbia may help to promote ‘money laundering’ of drug profits, as they contain no safeguards against illegal transactions.

This week, European Geostrategy looked at the development of the nEUROn remote-controlled stealth aircraft. While its construction represents European cooperation, there are still questions about how such technology fits within the strategic vision of European governments.

The Euro Crisis

This week the FT’s Brussels blog took an in-depth look at the possibility of further bank recapitalizations in Cyprus and Ireland, and asked whether or not Portugal’s bailout is actually €4 billion more than most think it is.

Across Europe

Looking ahead to 2013, Nada es Gratis says that it will likely be a year of billions of euro in cuts for Spain’s autonomous communities.

Kiels Prat in Europe looks at Germany’s arms exports, and praises the opposition to them of the SPD’s candidate for the Chancellorship in 2013’s elections, Peer Steinbrück.

Looking ahead to David Cameron’s speech on Europe in January, Jon Worth wonders if he will commit to an EU in-out referendum, or push for a renegotiation of the UK’s relationship with the EU. Later in the week, he writes that Cameron may be proposing a “complicated multi-step fudge” on the potential EU referendum, which may leave few happy and raise some real questions about what a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ vote may actually mean.

Writing on the resignation of Italian Prime Minister, Mario Monti Lost in EUrope says that his reform agenda has been little different to that which currently applies to the rest of Europe.

Europe mon beau souci examines funding for vocational training in France, saying that despite the ‘bloated’ budget, the current system does not work.

And finally…

Writing for (y)EU has a graphical Christmas gift, and Bloggingportal.eu has a great round-up of 2012 in the Euro-blogosphere.

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