Sir, Your editorial (“Looking her age,” March 20) claims that at the age of 50 the EU is “overweight and badly dressed”, but the UK’s role in this should not be overlooked. The EU’s current complexion has been largely influenced by UK thinking. Both the present Government and John Major’s have supported the policy of enlargement to encompass Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. And the European Commission’s adoption of liberal thinking on issues such as the single market and competition has again been largely influenced by the UK.

If we want to consider why the EU is “overweight and badly dressed”, we should consider that the UK is feeding and dressing Europe.

ZAKI COOPER, Director Business for New Europe

Sir, Rosemary Righter writes with a clear-eyed realism about the EU and its attitude towards the US (comment, March 21). Of course an Atlantic free trade area would represent a major strategic prize, but its formation would entail the abandonment of the Franco-German “social model” intended as an alternative to “Anglo-Saxon” mercantilism. The change of attitude that Ms Righter suggests will only come after a paradigmatic shift in Franco-German economic thinking.

She also alludes to the EU’s politico-military failure in the Balkans. Apart from lacking a coherent vision or will to act, the EU does not even have a strategic lift capacity. It does, however, wish to avail itself of such Nato military assets in times of need. It is very difficult to conclude other than the EU is no tiger economically or militarily, but a portly middle-aged feline with ill-fitting false teeth.

ROBERT RANDELL, London SE26

Sir, Rosemary Righter repeats the often-heard assertion that Nato, and not the EU, is reponsible for peace in Europe since 1945. But the postwar strategy of the US was to couple European economic development through integration with a strong military defence of Western Europe.

The Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain were not brought down by guns and tanks, but by the people on the other side who could see the economic prosperity and democratic way of life in the European Community and wanted to be a part of it.

CHRIS SHERWOOD, Brussels

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