Beyond Europe’s zero-sum game

Beyond Europe’s zero-sum game
Commentary for Policy Network’s “Europe in Search of a New Settlement”

Paweł Świeboda

The eurocrisis has created a sense of dislocation between the EU and its citizens. The immediate concern is stability, but in the long-run Europe needs a new settlement between the citizens, nation-states and EU institutions.

Europe’s existential struggle is not only about the survival of the common currency but also about a renewed sense ofpurpose. The crisis has created a massive sense of dislocation among the elites and citizens. For now, the all-absorbing objective is stability. Efforts are made to restore the basic functionality of the eurozone and correct the flaws of the past. The next step will be to achieve long-term fiscal and financial safety while avoiding incompleteness which has troubled the common currencysince the beginning.