Translation of "Ob es nicht besser wäre" in English

Or would it not be better to start building a presence in SOUTH EAST ASIA?

Sometimes I just wonder if it wouldn't be better to just let the truth out.

I do not oppose this, but I continue to wonder whether the European level is really appropriate, and whether Europe would perhaps do better to confine itself to the efficient coordination of tangible, determined action at national level.

Would it not be more appropriate to give the Council the ability to make decisions on a case by case basis?

In view of the lateness of the hour, Mr President, I think that instead of making a full analysis, it would be better, taking advantage of the presence of the Commissioner, to tell a story, like a tale from 1001 Nights.

I wonder whether the unshakeable desire to have a common policy in diplomatic affairs is the right course and whether it would not have been preferable, particularly in settling the Yugoslavian conflict, to make use of the competences, traditions and historical relations of certain European nations, for instance between Germany and Croatia or between France and Serbia. This would have been better than trying in vain to achieve a unanimous position, which, at the end of the day, condemned Europe to a form of impotence that was deeply regrettable, both for the countries involved and for the European Union itself.

If that is the case I wonder whether it might not be better simply to take it to the next session when we can discuss it at a more appropriate time.

In conclusion, Commissioner, I would like you to give us some reassurance about the broad interpretation of the concept of health and to tell us what effect the Treaty of Amsterdam might have, since I wonder whether it might not be better to wait until it enters into force.

I wonder if it would not be better just to say that people should use the best available technology.

On a more general note, when I read how carelessly the Commission spends the funds allocated to it, I really wonder whether we would perhaps do better to leave development expenditure in the hands of the Member States themselves.

I am wondering whether it might be wise for Parliament, rather than to have a half-hour debate on a Friday - I am very flattered we are having this debate - to bring it forward and have it with the Hardstaff report on Thursday, delay the vote until the following Wednesday in Brussels, and thereby save the taxpayers of Europe thousands of pounds by not opening this building on Friday.

If I worked in financial services, I might now scratch my head and wonder if it might not have been better then to lobby in a different direction.

Many company boards are now discussing whether to move planned investments outside Europe.

In this policy of buying, on behalf of Community fleets, fish from third countries, I often ask myself whether it might not be better to spend the money in another way, in the interests of the regions which we set out to help.

I would now like to ask you whether it would not be preferable to guarantee that the key elements of such a patent, namely the conclusions, which hardly take up two to three pages, are at least made available in all the languages.

Finally, I should like to propose, Commissioner, Minister, that we examine whether it would perhaps be better, if only for symbolic reasons, for some of the serious meetings of a political nature to be held in future at the seat of the European Union in order to symbolise our equality, potential and prospects.

The question is whether it would not have been preferable if we had provided for confidence-building measures, namely objective information on a massive scale.

The question arises whether it would not be better if forests were administered by an independent Forestry Ministry?

It suggests considering whether the principle whereby only the country of initial destination is required to receive immigrants can be the only fair solution or whether a better way of sharing the burden could be incorporated.

To sum up, rather than having an endless epilogue on the possible powers of a real European party, surely it would be better to make a real decision on a structure which would distinguish itself by its rapidity, effectiveness, and availability to the citizens of Europe while giving them full guarantees.

We cannot support the undue emphasis on the Middle East, and are not convinced that it might not have been better had the conference failed to reach a conclusion.

Given that there are fundamental changes to be made, I should like to ask you, Commissioner, if it would not be better to withdraw this directive in its current form, and for the Commission, as the author of these initiatives, to table a more appropriate proposal to serve the Union’s interests effectively?

In other words, would it not be better for the euro to be the same on both sides?

The question in my mind is this: given the difficulties that have arisen and that we ourselves have felt, with the suspension of the Joint ACP-European Union Assembly, which have also been felt in the Commonwealth, and which are also currently dividing Europe, would it not be better to act somewhat more intelligently?

This has made the discussion about the question whether Turkey belongs to Europe and whether it would not be preferable if it were to sign association agreements with the Middle East, Central Asia or Iran, increasingly more theoretical.

This begs the question of whether it would not be preferable to hire workers from Eastern Europe to fill any vacancies, and to provide needy countries in the south with aid that is both effective and much more generous than to date. At the same time, cooperation should be established with such countries within their own borders.

I see them beginning to wonder whether sheltering from the global economy would be better; whether erecting barriers between us and our trading partners might not be a better way of securing our jobs and our livelihoods.

I wonder whether it would not be better for everybody if the British just were not part of this European Union.

That also means that we have to seriously consider whether, for example, we want to inject a disproportionate amount of money - something that is not going to increase in quantity before 2006 - in the form of direct grants, or whether it might not be better to take a macroeconomic approach and put it into rural development as a whole.

I wonder, therefore, whether it might not be better to work on an initiative – which might not solve the problem but it would help – such as stopping aircraft from overflying the area and killing people with bombs and air strikes.