http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6676005e-0174-11df-8c54-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1

Germany's nominee for the European Commission yesterday made an unusually frank assessment of the European Union's weight in global affairs, saying last month's climate change summit had exposed the bloc's limited influence on the international stage.
Günther Oettinger, the commissioner designate for energy, made the comments in an appearance before the parliament for his confirmation hearing.
"If the Copenhagen summit showed us one thing, it is that the European Union isn't big enough for world authority when it comes to countries like China," Mr Oettinger said, responding to a question about the EU's policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The EU's sidelining at Copenhagen - where the US and China did not even invite it to a decisive meeting, let alone match its emissions reductions - has led to a broad acknowledgement by policymakers and analysts of Brussels' limited clout on the world stage.
Yet Mr Oettinger's comments represented an unusual degree of candour for a member of the Commission, which usually offers a rosier assessment of the EU's effectiveness. They echoed similar concerns raised by Herman Van Rompuy since he was appointed in November as the EU's first permanent president.
The former prime minister of Germany's Baden-Wuerttemberg region highlighted the need for European unity in pursuing an energy policy that would both reduce its reliance on imports and its carbon emissions. "We need a paradigm shift," Mr Oettinger said, promising to explore solar, wind "smart grids" and other alternative sources of energy.