The other set-piece was the publication of Mannesmann's defence document, due on January 14th after The Economist had gone to press.

ECONOMIST: Vodafone and Mannesmann

The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission had referred the Megrahi case to the High Court, expressing a view that the non-disclosure to the defence of a particular document may have led to a miscarriage of justice.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Scotland | South of Scotland | Lockerbie bomb document bid fails

In another document, Mr Holmes' defence announces its intention "to call... an expert in the field of psychiatry".

BBC: Aurora shootings: James Holmes 'threatened professor'

Moreover, the Union's desire, reflected in the document under discussion, to build a common foreign and defence policy is welcome.

ECONOMIST: The European Union's constitution