Technology is ready, but Europe, businesses and people are hesitant

Stories / possible developments

• Europe moves along as it is currently is as there are no changes in the labour laws and mobility and flexibility of the workforce deteriorates.
• Spending on infrastructure projects is decreased. Public transporation projects fall apart and the environment is negetively affected.
• EU finds it harder to compete against the west and especially Asia as no significant econmic growth is observed and labour regulation reform is at a standstill.
• Health indicators, quality of life and life expectancy plumet as the environment deteriorates.
• Mentallity of the workforce remains unchaged to the idea of adapting to new working realities and requirements, thus Europe becomes less competative.
• Europe becomes insignificant in world affairs as the economy just barely tags along.
• Russia refuses to join the EU and signs multiple trade agreements with China.

Arjan

• technology developments in the field of mobile transmission, handsets, voip, etc are on a rollercoaster ride enhanced by technological developments in asia
• the usa finally manages to standardise it's mobile technology through all of its states to improve it's communication infrastrcture, which urges mobile manufactures and telcos worldwide to do the same
• economic growth of the eu comes under pressure due to high competition in the far east.
• socialist forces like those observed in the france student protests in 2006 prevent any labour liberalisation vital for europe's flexibility and competitiveness
• uprising and rebellion in several russian provinces including czenchna and dagestan, military struggles within georgia and between armenia and azerbeidjan, the continuous reign of force by the belarus dictatorship, and the reelection of the ukraine right-wing president who was forced to leave office after the orange revolution cause headaches for the european and form a heavy burden on its funds
• attention is shifted away from the environment as economic hardship is foreseen, causing deterioriating environment, ultimately leading to abandoning of the kyoto protocol and european emission standards
• traffic congestion increases, negatively contributing to the mobility of workforce

Jasper

• European companies struggle as their American and Asian competitors bring management and performing business to the next level. Their professionals are a real mobile workforce and seem to be everywhere, all the time.
• As the environment deteriorates more and more, people become more hesistant to travel. Mobility of society decreases.
• The slack state of the labor laws creates differences between the Eastern and Western members of the EU.