Current global developments offer great opportunities for the EU. The EU can exercise more soft power by monitoring the freed-up development aid, the EU can provide certainty to the uncertain investor and the EU can establish itself as the new beacon of financial stability. For the last two opportunities in particular, it is essential that Europe emerges more adequately as a strong financial bloc. It is therefore essential that the EU becomes a financial power, which is more than a sum of the individual Member States taken together. If the EU is to secure a strong future position, it must lower the threshold for EU citizens (and businesses) to invest across borders within the EU. Companies need to be able to grow in order to compete globally. Without losing the support of the Member States, the European financial sector must operate above and independently of the Member States in order to act adequately and decisively. The present time requires more cooperation in larger blocks. The EU should be given more power over areas that are too large or too important for individual Member States. Only with confidence in the EU and the relinquishment of Member State autonomy can we seize the opportunities offered by global developments.