Ideally, we should know by July 2013, when the legislation is expected to be finally adopted, which countries outside the euro area are committed to join, and by when. Conclusion Let me conclude. The euro area is here to stay. It will survive this crisis, it will emerge from it stronger and more countries will join the euro in the future.
But it is also unavoidable that the euro area will change. We have to move ahead with deeper integration. In a monetary union, the economic policies of each country are by definition “a matter of common concern”.