Foretastes of a ‘new normal’: the results of a low-profile summit – Post-Summit Analysis

The 27-28 June European Council was a low-profile affair which attracted little attention beyond the walls of the Justus Lipsius. EU leaders’ main aim was to signal to the public that they are intensifying their efforts to counter the most severe economic impacts of the crisis. This post-summit analysis by Janis A. Emmanouilidis assesses the measures designed to counter youth unemployment and foster economic growth, and warns that despite all the good intentions, they are unlikely to produce tangible results quickly. This in turn could spark a public backlash if citizens feel the Union and its members cannot deliver on their promises. He therefore argues that the EU should either develop a more comprehensive strategy (a Marshall Plan or New Deal for Europe) or be more humble in its objectives. This analysis also concludes that the lack of concrete decisions at recent summits suggests the EU is moving from ‘crisis’ to ‘normal mode’ as the threat of a currency meltdown recedes – but this is a ‘new normal’ with potentially significant implications for the balance of power between the EU’s key players and institutions.