This paves the way for progress even in view of diverging opinions while respecting the different political and economic conditions of the member countries. •  I fully agree with my friend Marek that the two biggest challenges that the EU and especially EMU have to tackle today are anemic growth and uncertainties relating to the future of EMU and also of the EU.
•  The growth perspectives are directly related to the ECB’s mandate, which has price stability as a prime goal. The ECB – and many other central banks – define price stability as an inflation rate of below, but close to, 2 %. For 2015 our inflation forecast for the euro area is 0.1%, for 2016 it is 1.1%.