But unlike the EU, shared adherence to democratic values and human rights is not a wholly agreed objective, as China's prospective membership and the rift over Burma show.
Mr. Krugman accepted the idea that economists share a wide body of agreed, objective and nonideological knowledge.
The lack of consensus on quality goals for glucose meters reflects the absence of agreed objective criteria.
"Partnership is a dynamic relationship among diverse actors, based on mutually agreed objectives, pursued through a shared understanding of the most rational division of labour based on the respective comparative advantages of each partner.
Firstly - there is no way forward in protectionism and narrow nationalism: instead we need to match the onward march of a fully global economy with the creation of a truly global society founded on shared values, agreed objectives and new and better global institutions.
"When you take over a football club, you must ensure there are clear agreed objectives and goals right from the start.
We argue that integration should be designed to serve agreed objectives of transport policy, rather than being an objective in its own right.
In groups of three or four, teachers then plan a research lesson that meets at least two of the agreed objectives.
As well as a reaffirmation of the critical importance of international public action to achieve collectively agreed objectives (of which international public finance is a part), we also need not just a wish-list but a prioritised plan of action with a specific timeframe for changes in global finance.
"The real issue for them is to come up with agreed objectives, and also agree on common actions," said Brahma Chellaney, a foreign affairs analyst with the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi.
These must have mutually agreed objectives and timescales.
