In last week’s edition of European Voice, John Wyles argued (here) with characteristic cogency that the current crisis could and should be turned to good effect, in particular by building on the current responses to the crisis to take the European project one step further towards true economic government. Elsewhere, another friend, Jon Worth, has penned two posts on his blog, one berating superficial journalism on the question of the EU’s future but the other nevertheless bemoaning the current grey mood in ‘Brussels’. I have always argued that it is wrong to aspire towards popularity. ‘Brussels’ will probably never be popular, just as ‘Washington’ and ‘Paris’ are not popular. On the other hand, ‘Brussels’ can and should aspire towards respect, and so the way the Union handles itself in these challenging times is doubly important. I passionately believe that the euro was a brilliant technical achievement (I had the privilege of seeing its creation up close) as well as a fundamental political step. I am convinced that with the same technical brilliance and political determination the EU will come through this crisis the stronger and the wiser. In doing so, it may remain unpopular, but it will have earned still greater respect.